The Will Of Fire
by kitsune-x-raven
Summary: Being on the same team as the guy you're crazy about sucks when he won't notice you. What happens when Naruto is messing around to blow off steam and the object of his affection starts to see him in a new light? Will Naruto realize he may have a chance before it blows up in his face? Warning: Rated M. YAOI, Lemons, OOC Naruto, CANON! / plot divergent. NaruSasuNaru
1. Stress relief

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto or any of the characters therein- they all belong to Masashi Kishimoto. However, this story is entirely my own._

* * *

 _That mission was crazy! I enjoy guarding lords through their territories, but man I'm wiped out. Its good to finally be home._ I managed to bring back a small pot of the Curry of Life just for Neji (thanks to my father's teleportation jutsu I've been working on, it's still fresh).

The byakugan user opened the door for me and welcomed me in but I declined, stating that I just wanted to drop something off and then relax. Instead of leaving, I cloaked my presence and jumped on the roof, peeking over the edge through the window and mentally howling with laughter as Neji's face turned red- he looks pissed!

On my way to the Subaku household to relax I hear Neji scream my name. Haha, if only it was slightly higher in pitch.. _if only it was Sasuke screaming my name.._

 _"Damn it!"_ I winced.

While distracted, my last jump evidently wasn't high enough as my knee caught the roof overhang of a food shop, sending me crashing to the ground on my ass.

My mood deflated, I walk the rest of the distance to Gaara's house. I crawl in through the window of his room and try to only use my good leg. By now he is used to this- the sneaking in when I'm bored or lonely.

Gaara lobs his shogi tile at me. "You're interrupting," he told me impassively.

Wondering why he decided to play a solo game meant for two, I voice my curiosity.

"Why are you playing alone?"

Apparently, Shikimaru and Temari are discussing marriage (not entirely a shock, they've been glued at the hip for years).

'Ah, so that's why he is playing alone. Gaara just needs something to do with his hands while his thoughts run rampant.'

"What is the appeal to keeping intimate company with others? How can you trust them to get so close to you? It certainly can't be worth it," the redhead shudders . "I hear Shikamaru and Temari sometimes. It sounds repulsive...But it isn't just those two. Sai and Ino are fuck buddies, as well as you, Kiba and Ino being involved on occasion. Tenten and Lee started dating this spring. What the hell is the point?" He quietly mused, staring off at nothing in particular.

Slightly baffled at the depth of his confusion regarding the interactions of lovers, I frown.

"Its because in this shitty world, we have to strive to find the good. We have to do our damnedest to keep our hearts alive. As ninja, we are trained to preserve our bodies, but as humans it is natural to reach out to other people to renew our spirits. Or at the very least, to blow off steam." I the corners of my lips tilted up a fraction at that last part, knowing just how true it could be.

"Show me."

He faces me dead on and I ponder for a moment whether he knows what he is getting into. Honestly though, I could stand to work out some tension and the experience might clear some things up for my friend. Who am I to deny his request? I didn't know he was gay, but hell, maybe he's like me and doesn't give a flying fuck about what gender someone is. Whatever works, ya know?

"Hold on," I hold my hand up as I head off, to which he quirks an eyebrow. I smirk a little. "This requires lube. Shikamaru said your sister likes anal.. meaning she likely has some," I toss the explanation over my shoulder on my way out and I am rewarded by the sound of gagging.

On my way back to Gaara's room I pass Kankuro in the hallway and he eyes me suspiciously. "What the hell are you two up to now?" I flashed him the best smile I could muster and winked at him. I don't really care how he interprets that.

Gaara is sitting on the edge of his bed with his legs crossed, looking bored when I return. He nods in response when I point to the dresser and immediately complies to both commands, "Take your shirt off and bite down on it."

I guide his hands and press one of mine between his shoulder blades to indicate he should support himself on the dresser. My hand briskly slides down his ivory back to tug at his baggy black jeans until they reach his feet. Uncapping the lube, I pour it over my fingers and moisten his crevice, stroking over the virgin pucker. I think about my first time and Sasuke, who I had been wishing would take me, instead of a meaningless romp with Kiba. I imagine his porcelain face flushed and glistening with sweat, his damp raven locks clinging to his scalp as he tries to push it out of his eyes and his wet lips hovering over my now fully erect cock- I inhale sharply as I thrust my middle finger into Gaara all the way down to the knuckle.

I can feel my friend's hips buck at the sudden intrusion and in apology I knead one cheek. A few seconds pass and I'm curling my finger and sliding it in and out gently. Gaara is pushing back on my hand as I take my time to add three more fingers and my restraint is almost gone. Precum is dripping from my dick and I want to be buried inside the searing hot cavity being offered to me. I don't really care that this is Gaara, though I want it to be good for him too. I just want to fuck and release this damn tension knotted in my shoulders and abdomen that never seem to ease.

I lube up my cock and in the same motion I remove my fingers and slide 6 inches inside Gaara. His shirt drops from his mouth and I watch as his head falls back, mouth forming an 'O'. Without missing a beat he pushes my last three inches inside him until he is pressed against my chest. His head lays on my collarbone, panting as he holds my gaze and waits to adjust.

When his ass stops clenching around my throbbing length I move him so he resumes the same position as before and I thrust the shirt back at his face. I don't want to hear Gaara moan, but I'll let him think I don't want anyone to catch us. My eyes are closed as I think about Sasuke and my hips swivel and thrust on their own accord. I pound into Gaara much too hard for a newly deflowered virgin to handle and the dresser crashes into the wall at a ridiculous pace, likely alerting the neighbors that one of the Sabaku siblings are getting lucky.

Holding Gaara's hips, my toes curl as I imagine Sasuke laying on my bed back at the apartment finger fucking himself for me. Mentally, I hear my name fall from his lips as he comes without me inside him. I don't know where his breathy high pitched moan came from but I swear it's tangible, ringing in my ears as if he were here watching.

Right at the moment my balls are tightening and my orgasm is within reach, Kankuro opens the door on us. He takes in the sight of my head thrown back and myeyes closed as I piston into his little brother who is drooling on his shirt; pale ass in the air for me while he steadies himself on his elbows.

"Gaara! What the hell are you guys doi-"

Turning his head to face his nii-san, Gaara wads up his shirt and throws it at the purple painted idiot. I chuckle, my eyes now open and meet the puppet master's gaze as I fuck the redhead with all I've got. He blushes and stomps off, slamming the door right as Gaara and I cum in unison. Gaara gave out an amusing whine.

"Look who has an exhibitionist kink too," I retort as I wipe myself off with his shirt and get dressed. He looks at me in disbelief before quietly laughing.

With a serious expression I told the disheveled jinchuuriki, "Good huh? I could set you up with Neji or Kiba if you want some more of that," and I sarcastically blew him a smooch.

"Get the hell out, idiot."

It was late when I leave Gaara's.

xXx

Walking back to my little apartment I took a detour and laid down on the side of the lake, distracted and thinking about Sasuke again. His driving force, for years has been revenge on his brother... but lately something has changed. Whereas he used to interact with Sakura, Kakashi and I with any attitude ranging from intense annoyance to an aloof demeanor, now he rarely ever acknowledges our presence. What bothers me the most is that he _never_ talks about his revenge on Itachi anymore. He doesn't ignore us to be purposely spiteful.. but he isn't forthcoming in being our friend either. I wish I knew what was going on with him.

I really want to try and confront him about it, but it _hurts_ to be ignored or brushed off and I'm not brave enough to purposely put myself in that position.

I blink my eyes rapidly as something crosses my vision and momentarily blocks out the last of the remaining sunlight.

It's just a messenger bird.

I remember the first time I noticed a messenger bird on its way to the Hokage Tower. That was the last year we held chunin exams, before old man Sarutobi and Orochimaru held a deadly duel, leading to both their demise. The message that bird had been carrying was the reason Sasuke and I were called to the tower and sent off on a D ranked mission.

I was so lucky back then and I didn't even know it.

After claiming to go take a bath that first night outside the village, I was spying on Sasuke from the trees when I caught him freeing a baby fox from a hunters trap. I watched as he looked around to make sure I was gone before petting it and cooing at the gorgeous animal.

 _'Man_ , that was a sight!' I chuckled at the recollection. Never in my life did I expect the stoic and arrogant Uchiha brat to have a sweet side.

I had it bad after that.

I hadn't even realized how enamored I was until I began to wake up from wet dreams of Sasuke. They had come as a shock, to put it mildly. I had no idea what was going on with me at the time (I really should have borrowed Kakashi's Icha Icha Paradise!).

I told Kiba about my new "problem" and swore him to secrecy. Being one of my best friends, he was cool about me being gay- which he decided I definitely was- and he told me about intimate things I would need to know if I ever (and this would be a miracle) got serious with Sasuke.

That's how I started my sex friends relationship with the mutt. He is actually great in the sack, and surprisingly competitive. He's a great distraction when my thoughts start to overwhelm me.

Awhile after that, one night we snuck off with some of Obaa-chan's sake and Ino found us wasted and partying by ourselves. Oh my god! I can't help but roar with laughter at the memory. We got Ino so drunk!

Kiba dared her to go skinny dipping with us by telling her that _Sakura_ had done it before and wasn't afraid of a challenge. Ino stripped right then and there and never made it to the water. In the end, we sandwiched her between us.

She is still a little sore about the way we tricked her, but Ino now visits both of us from time to time to relieve some stress of her own.

While it isn't a secret that I fuck around with Kiba and Ino in my spare time, my infatuation with Sasuke is.. and I plan to keep it a secret for a little longer.

* * *

Lost in my thoughts about what a mess I was, it never crossed my mind about what Kankuro would do after finding me and Gaara.

It definitely didn't occur to me that since I know Gaara better than his siblings, that they might think he would only let someone close to him if he was in love. The truth is, he viewed his siblings as assholes for not protecting him from paternal abuse growing up. It had nothing to do with not wanting to let anyone close to him.

Gaara just doesn't have many people approach him, so I suppose nobody but me is able to tell the difference.

If I had known that letting Kankuro watch me fuck his little brother would cause me problems down the road, I probably would've locked the door... even if being observed sent me into a blissful orgasm.

 _ **To be continued... xxx**_


	2. You've been caught!

**Author's Note:** Thank you for sticking with this story as I update and try new things. College life gets slightly hectic from time to time and I will do my best to update at every available opportunity. The next chapter will be out soon! Review and let me know how you feel about this story and what you would like to see, whether it is a twist to the story or a change regarding the way I write.

I hope you enjoy this. See you with the next chapter!

 _ **Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto or any of the characters therein- they all belong to Masashi Kishimoto. However, this story is entirely my own._

* * *

 **3rd POV**

Sasuke has always loved starry nights. Growing up, he and Itachi used to go out into the forest and tell stories about the things they had seen and heard around the village. They would lay in a clearing looking at the sky sometimes, laughing about the crazy way people acted. Often, they would make up stories all on their own to entertain each other.

But Sasuke's favorite spot has always been the dock at the lake. He remembers the tireless hours spent there learning his fireball jutsu. He remembers how proud his brother was to see his flames encompass a large chunk of the lake.

'I wonder if I'll ever get to see that emotion on Aniki's face again..'

Restless and knowing this would be another sleepless night, the raven sauntered out of the Uchiha compound, he headed toward the body of glistening water that he hoped would quell his thoughts. The wind was gentle, blowing his hair in several different directions. Sasuke sprung into the air, using a branch overhead as a springboard as he made his way across the forest towards his destination.

He stopped abruptly on the branch of a Sakura tree. Ironic how these trees were his favorites, but he couldn't stand the kunoichi who shared the same name; always seeking to support him much like this tree is doing now. Sasuke scanned the lake, relieved that no couples were out tonight, for he quite preferred to be alone to brood.

Surprised to see the blonde dobe laying on the bank and seemingly staring at the stars, he contemplated joining him. The only thing holding him back was Naruto's fucking mouth.

The blonde wasn't an idiot. He had been able to tell that something was going on with Sasuke and had tried on multiple occasions to approach the subject. But Sasuke had shot him down every time. Not only was the information highly classified for only anbu, Lady Tsunade and himself to know, but at the time Naruto tried to pry into it, Sasuke had just recently been told and the emotionally unstable teen ripped Naruto a new one for not minding his own business.

He still felt guilty for the shocked and hurt look on the boy's face. Naruto was the only shinobi Sasuke even considered a friend, and he had constantly shunned the younger ninja over the years.

Sasuke's thoughts drifted towards the blonde.

Naruto had grown considerably quieter as he grew older. No longer is he the child bubbling with joy and mischief. Now his smiles are rare and there is a sharp edge to his personality that wasn't there the last time Sasuke had been looking.. that was years ago when Orochimaru's followers of the hidden sound village had tried to coax Sasuke to join them and get stronger to defeat Itachi.

While Sasuke had stayed in the village hidden in the leaves, he had committed every waking hour to training to become a stronger ninja- even competing with Naruto because of his desire to be the best. He had cherished their bond but would never admit it out loud...

Eventually Sasuke lost sight of everything except for his drive to become a great shinobi who could defeat Itachi. The young Uchiha had blocked everyone and everything else out and has since barely spoken with anyone aside from Kakashi.

Sasuke winced at the memories of what went through his mind back when he was determined to kill his big brother. It still left his heart aching to think about how close he had been to never knowing. How one detail could've been overlooked and he would have hated his brother until his dying breath. It sent painful shivers down his spine to think about.

Looking back over to the blonde, now curled up on his side who seemed to be sleeping, Sasuke decided to head over and drape his discarded jacket over the sleeping boy's form, so he wouldn't catch a cold.

"T'ch, that idiot. Always looking for trouble. We have a long mission coming up and he can't afford to get sick," Sasuke mumbled under his breath.

A split second before he made a move to approach Naruto, the raven watched as Ino ran up to the sleeping form and straddled the boy, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him awake.

Sasuke was confused and moved closer to that part of the lake trying to be silent and hoping he could hear their conversation. He focused his chakra and began to concentrate on them.

 **Naruto POV**

"Naruto! You damn idiot, why didn't you tell me? Wake up already!"

Groggy and slightly annoyed, my eyes flutter open to see my annoying kunoichi friend sitting on my lap and freaking out.

She grabs my face and leans in close, "Why the fuck didn't you tell me, you ass? I shouldn't have had to hear it from Temari that you and Gaara are serious! She came barging into my house an hour ago, waking up my parents and threatened me, telling me not to fool around with you anymore! What the hell is going on, Naruto?"

My ears on the verge of bleeding after that rather loud rant, it takes a minute for my mind to catch up to speed. When it does I'm shouting too.

"w- WHAT THE HELL?"

I'm definitely not serious with Gaara," I start to explain, "We were just talking about his inability to understand intimate relationships before and was curious as to why you, Kiba and I indulged in physical intimacy here and there. When I tried to explain it to him he asked for a demonstration.. and then Kankuro walked in."

I watched her mouth open and close a few times. Since she didn't seem to have a comment for that, I moved her so that I could stand up and stretch. "We aren't dating. I just wasn't opposed to getting a fuck out of a willing friend.. its not like the guy I want has any interest in me. Why the hell should I wait around to be miserable when he doesn't give a shit about me? Huh? If someone I'm in love with is so damn blind that they can't see me when I'm right there, if I clearly don't have a chance in hell, then why in this world would I pass up the opportunity to just feel something good for once!? Tell me, huh!?"

I got so caught up in my emotions I forgot about keeping my feelings a secret from the world. I hadn't meant to be so intense but the words started pouring out of me and I couldn't find the power to hold them in. I was yelling in Ino's stunned face by the time I was finished. The river of words that had been building inside of me for awhile now dying to break free of the mental dam I spent so long creating.

I gasped at the realization that I had confessed to yet another of my friends but I couldn't even tell Sasuke. My shoulders started shaking before the first tear even rolled down my face and I sunk to the ground feeling ashamed.

'I am weak for crying in front of my friends. I am weak for not being able to stop Sasuke from turning into someone untouchable. I am weak for not telling Sasuke how I feel. I am so weak..'

 **3rd POV**

Sasuke watched, mesmerized as his former best friend crumpled to the ground and team 10's only female shinobi cradled the dobe to her chest.

Once again he felt guilty. It should have been Sasuke comforting him. Hadn't Naruto run around for all those years claiming their 'best friend' status? If he had paid more attention to the blonde, he could have been helpful in this situation..

And though he doesn't know it, _he's right._

 ** _To be continued..._**


	3. It's going to be alright!

**Author's Note!:** Let me know if you guys have any twists to the story that you would like to see and I may adjust the story to satisfy your NaruSasu feels. This is all for you guys! xoxo

 _ **Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto or any of the characters therein- they all belong to Masashi Kishimoto. However, this story is entirely my own._

-Thanks for sticking with The Will Of Fire and I, as it is my first multi-chapter work and is likely not the best story you've come across thus far. I promise to do my best for you. Leave a review on how I'm doing!

~Ja ne!

* * *

Ino wipes away my tears and guides me home.

I sit on the fold out couch and sigh, my eyes are dry and I feel slightly ashamed that my best friend witnessed me losing my composure, but overall, I feel better for it.

"I'm sorry. You didn't deserve for me blowing up on you like that," I apologize.

"It's fine Naruto. It's obvious that you've been holding that in for awhile now..." she said before she disappeared into the kitchen and came back a few minutes later with a huge steaming bowl of ramen.

"Do you want to explain to me what is going on with you?" She gave me a hard look. "What is all this about you being in love with someone?"

I stared out the window, watching the sun rise and took a deep breath to steady my nerves. I'm not sure I should have opened my mouth at all, but damn it, I can't shut her out now that she's looking for answers.

'Fuck.'

After inhaling the delicious aroma of the pork miso ramen, I set the bowl down and lean back. Agitated, I scrub my hands over my face and sigh, feeling somewhat useless.

"To begin with.. No. I'm not in love with Gaara. That's why you came looking for me at the crack of dawn, right?" She nodded.

Slightly annoyed at the older boy's antics, I growl, " Kankuro shouldn't jump to conclusions. We were letting off some steam to satisfy Gaara's curiosity. It's not like they can control what he does. Since they've never even been interested in his business before, why should now be any different? I don't understand them on that.. but I'm sorry for being the reason they disturbed your household this morning and I'm sorry Temari threatened you. However, there's no need to worry about fidelity when there is no relationship to start with."

"Alright, Naruto. I'm with you there, but.. about that _other stuff_ you told me.." My friend's tone got gentler and I recall the words that jumped out of my mouth earlier.

I tilt my head up to the ceiling and ponder for a moment how I can best explain myself. Feeling a steady hand on my jawline guiding me to face her, I meet her questioning blue eyes with an apprehensive set of my own.

"C'mon honey. You can trust me, I just need to know whats going on with you," her coaxing always works on me. Not once has she ever had to use her mind transportation jutsu to see into my thoughts.

Meeting her gaze, I hope she wont judge me too harshly. "I guess I just lost my head earlier when I heard Kankuro's accusation of Gaara and I being in love.. because, I really do care about someone.. but the idea of the person I like finding out about "me and Gaara" and them thinking I love anyone else would shoot down any last possible hope I might hold for us to work out our differences."

My cheeks flame for a moment when I realize I cried insanely hard in front of her and I continue, "My unbidden tears came from the fact that I don't want to feel guilty about what I do on my own time, because it gets me through. It's what little bit of happiness I keep for myself when things seem to get low."

"I won't be getting any affection or love from the one person who makes me crave it.. and that hurts." I admit, running my long fingers through my shaggy unkempt hair.

Ino thought for a second, biting her bottom lip, "How do you know that for sure? Have you ever tried to see if they are interested?"

I look at her as if she has grown a second head, wondering if over the years I had truly hid my obsession so well, since my friend doesn't seem to have a clue who I'm going crazy for.

"Its not hard to tell when no matter what I do, he won't give me the time of day. I've tried to be there as a friend, and even as more than that.. but I get the cold shoulder and he pushes me away... Hell, I'm lucky these days if he even acknowledges my presence." I sigh, dejectedly.

I watch understanding fill her eyes as if she finally knows exactly who I'm talking about. I wouldn't be surprised if she does.

Ino leans back against the cushions and watches me intently, trying to judge my response.

"Then why do you love him?"

l don't have to think about it before the words just roll off my tongue. "It wasn't always this way. We used to be best friends. He would pick me up when I was down and we pushed each other to be better. I tried to understand his goals and he tried to understand my logic.. Sometimes we pissed each other the hell off," I laugh at the memories that come to mind, "but we were all the better for it... I love him because his soul is like mine. He has felt the hurt of being alone. He understands the desire to be acknowledged and the drive of a goal that many people tell you is unattainable. He understood me and stood by me in times I thought I had lost myself. I love him for the rare smiles he used to share with me late at night when I would join him down at the lake. I love him for not coddling me when I'm hurt even though he is clearly worried. I love the way he gets that faraway look in his eye, because I know he is thinking about the past, and it gives me a sign, an opening to catch him off guard and direct him onto lighter thoughts so that they don't consume his soul, bit by bit..."

"I have always loved him, Ino."

A solitary tear trails down my tanned cheek.

Leaning forward, Ino wipes the tear with her knuckle before I could raise my own hand. I could see she was trying to understand and accept that I've been dealing with these unrequited feelings that she had had no idea about until today.

I'm sure this is not what she had in mind when she stormed across Konoha at dawn looking for me this morning.

"Naruto, what changed between you two?" Ino tilted her head to the side as if to get a new view of the situation, "If you were so close, why didn't you tell him?"

I smiled sadly, feeling regret at those words. If I had told Sasuke back then that I love him so much it makes my soul hurt, maybe things would've been different right now.. but all the same, he might just have shut me out sooner.

"Honestly? In the past, he always came across as asexual. I was too scared to talk to him about my feelings.." I trailed off.

"Well, there were a few close calls, like that time our hands were stuck together when we were hunting down the guys who kidnapped Sakura and we accidentally kissed in the waterfall.. after that mission I was determined to tell him, but I got cold feet at the last second and just started a fight with him out of nowhere instead... and not long after that, Sasuke basically changed overnight." I reminisced.

I really wished I had gone for all or nothing while I had the opportunity.

"Sometimes he was so volatile and angry, you had to be careful just so that you wouldn't lose an arm around him when you had a reason to be in his presence," I wince at the memory of me and Kakashi trying to talk sense into him the first time he went on a rampage. Kakashi had almost needed to lift his Hitai-ate before Sasuke calmed down and left."

"Other times, he was in a daze. I used to watch him for hours from up in the trees when he would sit on the walls of the abandoned Uchiha precinct and he looked almost.. broken," a painful shiver ran down my spine recalling the scene but I inhaled deeply and continued.

"This went on for months. I made the mistake of thinking it was safe to approach him at one such time and he blew his top. You'd think I had insulted his sharingan or something." Tears clouding my vision prevented me from looking Ino in the eye but a squeeze to my hand told me I have her support. "He damn near broke my heart that day.. the things he said about the village citizens, shinobi, the elders.. about Kurama and I.. It really struck home for me. That's when I decided to back off."

I leveled my gaze at Ino so that I could see her reaction to the next reveal.

I spoke quietly then.

"I don't know what changed in Sasuke.. but he won't let me in anymore.. and I can't handle that kind of rejection." My voice rang out clear and certain, wanting her to know that I trust her with the name of my most beloved.

That I trust her with my biggest secret.

Ino surprises me and draws me into a bone crushing hug.

"Its gonna be okay honey, I know what it's like to feel rejected by him.. but you have to hang in there. Clearly something has come up to cloud his thoughts and make him feel so tortured that he pushes you away. But besides that, you were the first person he let in. Naruto, you were the first friend Sasuke ever made and the only person he has ever truly cared about- I think you really have a shot!"

She pulled back a bit and looked me in the eyes as she said, "If you're willing to hold onto that hope of changing him back to his old self, then what you need is a different tactic!"

I dropped my head down in despair and groaned aloud, " _Ino_! Argh. I'm telling you it _won't work_."

Ino stayed over for most of the day. She laid beside me as I slept, and when I awoke she gave me some advice on how to deal with Sasuke pushing me away.

She kissed me on the crown of my head and made me blush before she left out the front door.

I've never been properly kissed. I've never even had anyone's mouth on my body... that has always been off limits for me. The closest would be when Sasuke and I had all those accidental encounters where our lips touched... but they were not real kisses.

Ridiculous as it may sound, I'm still hoping Sasuke will be my first in that department.

I have a feeling Kankuro and Temari are going to have knots on their heads and an earful about treating their little brother better before too long.

After all, someone had to correct that loudmouth and stop those rumors in their tracks.

'I have a long mission coming up so I guess I need to start cleaning the house by dusting and getting rid of perishables while I still have the time to spare. Maybe I can take a couple hours to plan my interactions with Sasuke over this mission.. we will be gone for around three months. That's a lot of time for me and Sasuke to possibly reconcile while we are alone together.'

My thoughts wandered back to Sasuke as I jumped into action.

I had just finished cleaning the bed sheets when Kiba dropped by to wish me well on my next mission and return the clothes I had left at his house. For some reason, it felt like there was a wall up between us once again, and I couldn't place my finger on exactly why that was.

He helped me pack and I found out that Ino told him she was in on the "secret". Apparently they've decided that the two of them are going to do anything they can to help my cause.

I was told to get a bath and that Kiba had heard Kakashi would be coming over soon to pick me up for some ramen as a celebration for my first "B" ranked mission.

Understandably, I was thrilled. Not two seconds after he told me that I shooed him away so I could scrub up and be presentable for dinner, only I wasn't aware that Kakashi was practically already on my doorstep.

As I'm rinsing my hair and body in the tin, I hear someone bang on my door and Kakashi's voice hollering, "Get up, you lazy knucklehead. I won't treat you to free ramen if I have to come wake you up!"

"Ahhh! No way. Two seconds, sensei! I'm coming," I exclaim as I run to the door.

I grab a towel off the edge of my bed, not bothering to actually be dry but just aiming for a smidgen of modesty when I throw upon the door and the beginnings of a laugh die in my throat.

Next to my favorite jonin Is the object of my every waking thought.

Sasuke Uchiha.

The guy I'm in love with is standing right in front of me and I'm caught off guard, practically naked.

The short squeal that left my throat is nothing short of embarrassing.

"Well, I see you've been productive today, Naruto. Are you going to invite us in?"

I swallow a hard lump in my throat, fully aware that Sasuke has been staring me down and I'm so fucking confused as to why he's here that all I can manage is a brief nod before mumbling something about getting some clothes on.

I teleport back to my room and I'm a mess. In ten seconds flat Sasuke has managed to do nothing but look at me and suddenly I'm flushed and panting with a raging boner and I'm full of questions.

'Why is Sasuke here?'

'Is he going out to eat with us?' 'He hates ramen!'

'Is he maybe here to spend some time with me?'

'No, surely not. He was probably roped into it by Kakashi. I'm sure they were in the middle of something else when Kakashi decided to take me out. He probably just talked Sasuke into tagging along...'

'Why did Sasuke agree? Is he finally snapping out of that funky mood he was lost in?'

'Why in the world was Sasuke staring so intently at me in that way?'

I dig out the only pair of dark blue pants I own and pull on the standard black chunin top I borrowed from Iruka sensei last year when he and Kakashi went on their honeymoon outside the village and he let me cover his classes for a few days.

It's the best I can do on short notice without going shopping for better clothes and I hope if Sasuke notices, he will approve.

When I walk back into the living room, Kakashi has closed all the drapes since he knows Sasuke and I are headed off on a long mission soon and won't be here so the neighborhood kids will be trying to peep in and mess up the apartment for fun, as always.

"Are you ready?"

The deep and even tone shocks me down to my core. I hadn't expected to hear his voice at all except for the standard "Hn".

Sad as it is, it's the only thing he or I have said to each other since that last fight. But when I look into his eyes, they are sharp and focused.

Instead of drowning in those onyx orbs which are focused on me for the first time in forever, I nervously walk right past him and slip on my sandals.

With slightly less excitement than usual, I respond as if to myself, "I'm ready," and walk out the door ahead of the other two with butterflies in my stomach that feel like warfare.

 _ **To be continued... xxx**_


	4. Making Progress

**Author's Note: |A** **bout the Story|...** _Sasuke began acting strangely, (as if in shock) and distancing himself around March. When his last confrontation with Naruto occurs and the latter is demanding not to leave until he gets answers, Sasuke blows up on him and hurts Naruto with the things he says. Effectively distancing him; this happens in the beginning of June. Currently it is the end of August and Sasuke's emotions have finally settled for the most part._

I hope this chapter is to your liking! Enjoy!

 _ **Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto or any of the characters therein- they all belong to Masashi Kishimoto. However, this story is entirely my own._

* * *

 **Naruto POV**

Though he doesn't say anything, I feel his eyes on my back.

'Where the hell has this new development come from? Last I knew, the bastard was still acting crazy. I hope it wasn't someone else who was able to get him to open up his eyes to the reality going on around him. I doubt it was, but if I'm wrong.. did I really miss the opportunity to get to him and pull him away from the soul consuming bitterness that took over him?... If I could just-'

" _Naruto_ ," Kakashi said rather loudly, cutting off my train of thought, "you still with us?"

With both hands behind my head, I turn slightly to look back over my shoulder at him and grin, "What do you mean? You're paying; you said so yourself! There's _no way_ I'd abandon an offer like that!" My smile isn't entirely ungenuine. I _am_ thrilled to be able to spend time with Sasuke again after so long. My nerves and thoughts are just in overdrive today.

In response I hear "Hmm," and "Hn" in unison. They don't mention the fact that you could tell that was a pointed topic change from a mile away, and I'm grateful.

'Snap out of it, Naruto! Indulge in your internal monologue tomorrow and get yourself together.' I mentally shake myself.

Opening my eyes again, Sasuke is in front of me, walking backwards and staring me down with all he's worth. My breath catches. It feels like forever since the last time I saw the sun shining on his porcelain face, the way he almost glows in the natural light. His depthless black eyes make me feel lost, like I could find him prowling within my mind... threatening to devour my consciousness at any moment.

The notion sends jolts of electricity down my spine.

My best friend studies me, resolutely silent until I make a decision.

In a surge of speed, I rush forward, "Last one there is a picked menma!" I place my hand on Sasuke's shoulder and lightly squeeze, like I used to when we were close friends in the past.

Then I'm off; sprinting through the streets of Konoha with a likely surprised Uchiha keeping pace with me by running across rooftops, I can feel his steady chakra signature and I'm greatly pleased and relieved that he took the bait.

As we get closer, I slide towards the Ichiraku Ramen stand and Sasuke is already standing on top of it.

 _'Shit!_ ' I think, as I slow some of my momentum but not nearly enough. Suddenly a weight lands on me, sending me crashing to the ground on my back.

In an effort to preserve my precious ramen shop, Sasuke deemed the most efficient course of action would be for him to apparently jump on top of me and knock the sense right out of my head.

"Ouch," I grumbled, "you sure know how to leave a knot, Teme!"

Not realizing the position we are in, I try to lift one hip so that I can rub out the sting in my behind. An alarmed screech almost escaped my lips instead as I finally feel the warm, hard body on mine; my groin meeting Sasuke's in an awkward manner that I have no excuse for.

When I felt the intimate contact, my eyes flew open to find that wasn't my biggest embarrassment at the moment. Once again, much like all the other awkward incidents in our childhood... our lips had sealed together in a forceful and graceless manner.

And Sasuke was calmly looking me in the eyes.

Maybe, in our earlier days, I would have sputtered and jumped away from him. Maybe, I would have declared that it was his fault or that he had done it on purpose.

However, today through no consent of my own, I fainted.

 **Sasuke POV**

I opened my eyes at the same moment Naruto did, feeling his hips jerk underneath me and witnessing his shock and horror in those azure eyes...

Honestly, I didn't mean to kiss him. I just wanted to halt his progress before he barreled through a building that would cost us the payment of our first 'B' ranked mission to have it rebuilt.

We are so close to being Jonin! We can't fuck anything up this close to a promotion from Tsunade!

It didn't phase me to open my eyes and see that our our lips had met. Naruto is the only person I have ever kissed. Though they aren't proper kisses, they still count, right?

It's hilarious when the girls get upset about seeing it happen. I, myself have just accepted it as a weird phenomenon that occurs whenever Naruto is around and leave it at that. It doesn't phase me at this point.

This is the fifth time our lips have met.

Suddenly, Naruto gave out under me and his head lolled to the side.

"Hey," I said, jumping up and trying to shake him awake.

Kakashi, who had been there the entire time, grabbed one arm as I grabbed the other and we propped him up on a bar stool until his head rested against the table. "Maa, maa Sasuke. You're supposed to take them out to dinner _before_ you steal a kiss," he chastised, as he pulled out Jiraiya's latest publishing of 'Icha! Icha! Paradise.'

"Don't you dare make this weird, Mr. 'pickled menma'. Oh, and you're still paying." I retorted with a light smirk.

Narrowing his eyes at me, Kakashi then looked over to Ayame and ordered for us, making sure to have them give Naruto extra menma topping for that earlier comment.

I sighed in contentment. _'Wow. How long has it been since Naruto and I acted like that? I'd almost forgotten the way it's easy let go of everything but a bit of fun when he's around.'_ I frown at my clasped hands on the bar.

I regret making him feel terrible with all those things I said about the village citizens, shinobi and Kurama. They all weren't the problem. The problem is Danzo and the elders.

 _'I'm going to have to clear things up for him when we get some time alone. He deserves an explanation for the way I lashed out back in June.'_

I don't particularly enjoy the way our shinobi follow all their orders.. especially when the orders are extreme and betray the ones you care for. I fully understand as well as the next guy that sometimes extreme measures are essential to preserving the future and the good of the masses rather than the fates of the few; however that doesn't change my feelings.

'I _will_ stay loyal to Konoha. I will serve as a dutiful ninja. Not for those who run our small country today or those who live here, _but for Naruto_.' I look over at him then, his slumped form resting on the bar and damn near sliding out of his seat, and I laugh quietly for the first time in months.

'Someday this blonde Baka will be the best Hokage we have ever seen and I'll be damned if I'm not around to see his reign. He is going to be the savior of this place, and hopefully someday he will banish the crap that goes on behind the scenes and restore the Will Of Fire into the hearts of those who already love and follow him. Naruto will lead people who accomplish a greater good with proper methods and good intentions. There will never have to be a great tragedy like the one that happened when I was seven-'

"Hey, Sasuke."

Naruto was conscious and trying to get my attention in hushed tones, "You're lost in your thoughts again.. Stay with me, Teme," He gave me a half hopeful look before turning his attention to Kakashi who was watching me intently again.

"Hn." Naruto gives me hope for myself and my future as well.

"Thanks for the ramen, Sensei!" He said in the tone a normal person would use. It makes me worry since he is nothing like he used to be; bubbly personality and always bouncing off the walls, full of speeches and reckless as ever. Now he is almost.. cautious, and guarded.

It saddens me greatly that my screaming at him and shutting him out for months on end may have played a part in that. August is almost over and I've had time to do a lot of thinking. Things need to start changing around here.

I watch him scarf down the still steaming bowl of noodles like they're going out of style. Without redirecting my gaze, I tell Kakashi that I'll be stealing him away after lunch to spar on the training grounds and that I'm grateful he took us out to celebrate our first "B" ranked mission.

The stiffening of broad shoulders aroused my curiosity as Naruto almost choked on a piece of menma at my words- though the dobe tried to play it off by hollering at Kakashi over his literal interpretation of the 'pickled menma' nickname that fueled our speedy trip here.

'Is he afraid to be alone with me? Hmm...'

The sparring took more out of me than I had expected. I had been anticipating a parry of blows and dodged chakra flares. What I got was Naruto giving me his all, at one point he even borrowed Kurama's chakra and used a jutsu on me that I'd never seen him perform before.

I was so impressed that I was nearly rooted to the ground more than once. He isn't far off from being as strong as a Hokage, he is nearly at or possibly surpassing the skill levels of our Konoha Jonin as it is. There will always be room for improvement, but I'd like to know if there is anyone out there besides me who's ass Naruto can't kick. (I'm totally as strong as him. Trust me. It's just that he surprised me when we were sparring today.)

At one point, Naruto had to pull his punches at the last moment and get in front of me to block the damn jutsu so it wouldn't kill me. He looked at me then with wonder mirroring my own, his breathing labored as we stood face to face.

When I reached up to wipe a droplet of blood underneath his eye with the pad of my right thumb, I could've sworn he almost pressed his face closer to me before jumping backwards fifty feet and sending a rasenshurikan in my direction. But he never said a word.

I don't know if I will ever understand Naruto. I am so lucky to have him in my life, and though I spent the entire summer in a bad place; I believe a part of me felt all the worse for it because he was not by my side. If I could have told Naruto, I would have. I would have let him in because I know he would've shared my woes and helped me through it.

I hated having to turn him away. Worse yet, I hated how I responded to him when he would not _give up on the issue._

I am thankful a thousand times over that he has forgiven me.

Naruto walks beside me as we head home, much like we used to do before we became distanced. It's so _nice_! I feel more relaxed right now than I anticipated and I don't know if it is thanks to the draining sparring session , or the presence of my best friend at my side.

It's too quiet for the first night after we are finally talking again so I open my mouth to the first thought that comes to my head, "I've missed you and our easy companionship. It's so nice to get out and do this just like old times, huh?"

I look over and chuckle, he looks surprised to hear such a thing from me but doesn't tease me for the comment.

"Yeah," he beams at me, before looking at his feet, the smile not diminishing one bit, "I've missed you too, bastard."

"Well, you sure don't sound like it!" I bump my shoulder into his playfully and skip a sew steps ahead, "Have you already packed for the trip? We could spend the night at my place, since it's closer to the gate on the edge of town. Then we could just grab our stuff and go rather than packing in the morning. You down for that?"

 **Naruto POV**

'Hold on a second, I think my ears are not working today.' I blink a couple times at that, wondering if I misheard the raven haired chunin standing before me.

'I woke up this morning and every other morning for the last few months depressed as hell- just for Sasuke to pull the curtain on his shit show and come waltzing into my life again like nothing happened?'

Meeting his eyes, I can see that Sasuke is well aware of my internal struggle and judging by the lines in his forehead he regrets the time we've spent apart this summer. Deciding not to look a gift horse in the mouth, I relax and give him a small grin. "You're on- but I'm bringing my cereal; last time you tried to feed me sauteed tomatoes for breakfast and we are _not_ going through that argument again!"

He snickered at me as I performed the transportation jutsu and said, "Meet you there."

Arriving home, the familiar citrus smell washed over me and calmed my nerves a little. I went upstairs into my room and laid my traveling pack down on the sheets, eventually filling it up with one black and red jumpsuit, two tight shirts that stored heat in the cold and repelled it in hot climates, raumen, a kettle, some hygiene essentials and first aid items, kunai, herbs, all of our mission scrolls and a tarp if we got stuck out in the elements. The bedroll I hooked on top just before grabbing an unopened box of rice cereal on my way out.

At this point, I'm rushing to make it to his house before he changes his mind (Since I didn't already pack my stuff earlier like he thought.)

My heart thunders and I'm thrilled to be on friendly terms with the love of my life again!

It's just as I almost reach the youngest Uchiha's doorstep that I remember the problems with all our previous sleepovers.

Sasuke doesn't understand why I choose to sleep on the floor instead of in the king sized bed with him.

Sasuke sleeps in his underwear.

 _'Oh, fuck!'_

I scrub my hands through my hair in exasperation and try not to think about a shirtless Sasuke too hard... or a handsome Sasuke with bedhead! and a rough morning voice! _ohmygod_ -' just as I reach the doorstep, said Teme swings the door wide open and stares me down, unimpressed.

"Hn. You're slower than I remember, Dobe. Come in," I swallow hard but try not to look affected by Sasuke in his night robe illuminated in the entryway by light coming from the den. He looks fucking sexy.

Upon entering the living space, there are maps and scrolls laid out _everywhere_. Sasuke cleared his throat and said, "I thought we could make the most of our time tonight before we begin the mission. If you want to clean up before we go over our plan, be my guest."

At this, I practically run to the restroom down the ball to escape.

 _"BAKA!"_ I vent in hushed tones, " _For a prodigy, sometimes you can be so dense!" '_ I can't understand why in the world I'm crazy about you when you go off and say words like that over something as mundane as planning for a mission.'

 _'I thought we could make the most of our time tonight...'_

 _"Stupid Sasuke!"_ I breathe out as I will my heart to calm down. _  
_

I allow myself to pout for a minute, but really, it isn't his fault that I have feelings for him. Neither is it his fault that he still doesn't know about them. I splash my face with icy water after changing my shirt and rejoin him in the main room to prepare for our mission that begins tomorrow and will likely last a only a few months; that is if I have enough chakra reserves in the end to teleport us back to Konoha using the teleportation seal I keep in my home as our target destination... otherwise it'll be another good amount of time just to trek back home.

August is almost over, so we ought to be home before the new year.

While we diligently go over our plans and how we are going to launch into the mission first thing tomorrow I can't help but steal stealthy glances at Sasuke's firm pectorals. ' _Aaaaaaannd- There's a nipple,'_ I gulp and avert my gaze prom the peaked flesh watching his hand instead as he leans forward to dip the quill in ink and outline our intended plans.

Towards the end of the night, Sasuke and I acknowledge the time and tuck away our scrolls.

I stand and pop my back, raising my arms over my head and groaning, "Arrrgh!"

A deep and rich peal of laughter that was not my own nearly halted the breath leaving my lungs, "You haven't been on a major mission in several months but here you are sounding like an old man," Sasuke clutched his side and laughed a little harder.

"Well, I hope you've enjoyed your share. This _old man_ is about to grab a pillow and rest his weary bones for the night." I stick my tongue out at him as I make my way to the linens closet near the entrance.

"Naruto, wait," strong slender fingers encircle my wrist and tug me back lightly. "We haven't spent any time together in so long... Just sleep in my bed with me, for tonight..."

I can't bring myself to look him in the eyes but I let out the shaky breath I'm holding and answer him all the same, "Yeah. I get lonely too sometimes."

When I'm sure I am fully composed, I turn and walk behind him as he makes his way though the now darkened house towards his private quarters.

My every breath is measured and my steps deliberate. I wonder if it is right to sleep in the same bed as the person I have feelings for while they are unaware. Would he not be okay with this if he knew? Guilt and worry threaten to swallow me whole until I hear his voice again and take a deep breath to calm myself.

"Which side do you prefer?"

"Whichever side isn't yours is fine with me, Sas." I don't want him to feel put out, but apparently that isn't too big of a problem.

"I sleep in the middle, the bed is big enough for it," the taller boy reveals to me in a soft voice. However, the statement makes me freeze.

"Oh," my hands feel clammy as I finally crawl in on the nearest side, taking off my dark blue jeans and leaving the shirt. I hear the material of Sasuke's robe fall to the floor and suddenly this is all to real for me.

Lightheaded, I hear, "Goodnight, Usuratonkatchi."

I smile. ' _You won't be calling me that when I'm Hokage, bastard._ '

"'Night, Teme."

 _ **T** **o be continued... xxx**_


	5. Tell me all about it!

**Author's note:** Hey there, and thank you so much to those of you following this story as I do my best on updates! Before you start to wander why this fic is rated M; let me tell you that my nose is itching up a storm and there will be intense smut in the next chapter! This story is flowing a little differently than I had originally planned- but hopefully that's okay, as I'm mostly satisfied with the results. Let me know of any kinks, details or story twists you'd like to see added and I might just see what I can do about it! As always, read and review to let me know how I'm doing and what you think of this fic!

Ja ne!~

 _ **Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto or any of the characters therein- they all belong to Masashi Kishimoto. However, this story is entirely my own._

* * *

 **Sasuke POV**

I exhale and stretch as I open my eyes to the early morning rays of light. I know we have a mission to begin today, but it's so warm and cozy in bed that I can't seem to do more than close my eyes again.

A moment later I feel the bed move and a warm hand rests on my chest. I look over to sleeping figure beside me and it warms my heart; sleeping on his stomach with his head turned to face me -a bit of drool escaping his parted pale lips- my best friend reached out in his sleep to touch my skin.

I don't mind, it feels really nice.

Acting on instinct, I slide my pillow over and snuggle closer to him under the embrace of his strong tanned arm. It feels like the most right thing in the world to be beside him and I don't question it. I've missed our time together. This is a bit closer than we have ever been before but he hasn't acted appalled by anything I've done this far, so I don't pull back.

As if he could feel my eyes on him, his open and he looks confused; murmuring, "Sas?''

I chuckle under my breath as I swipe a strand of shaggy hair out of his face and wipe some of the drool from his mouth with the sheets.

"Morning, Dobe. You've got a little mess there.."

"Teeeeeeme!" He groans and rolls over, dragging the pillow over his head as he does, likely embarrassed and hiding a blush.

"Well that's no good. We have a mission to start today, you can't lay around in bed forever," I retort as I stand up and look over my shoulder at his prone figure.

"Says the guy who was trying to cuddle a minute ago. _You_ didn't look like you were going _anywhere_ \- oompf!" I effectively cut him off as I rip the blankets away and leave them on the floor.

" _Bastard_!" Naruto exclaimed in mock horror at the loss of warmth.

"You were saying?"

I duck as his slobbery pillow is lobbed at my head with unnecessary force, colliding with a picture of us mounted on the wall.

"Do you want breakfast? You've got a free fifteen until it's done. Go shower and brush your teeth." I hear a horrified string of curses as he complains about my healthy breakfast foods and hollers to remind me about the food he brought over.

Less than an hour later, we're dressed to kill and Naruto is tying his hitai-ate into position.

I look him over, taking in the young man he's grown to be. We've both changed a lot over the years and I'm happy we can still remain close.

We gather up our supplies and head out of town, the blonde saying his temporary goodbyes to Genma and Raido who are guarding the gates.

It's supposed to be a quarter year long mission to the lands in Whirlpool Country, we've been instructed to dig up information regarding the last of the Uzumaki.

Apparently Lady Tsunade is interested in the Uzumaki's scrolls and sealing techniques. We have been tasked with tracking down and recruiting any willing clan survivors into the village and if we find none, we are to bring back anything relating to their secrets that may be of use to the village.

Within the first couple of weeks, we came across an orphan in Kusagakure who specialized in forbidden healing techniques named Karin. She previously had relations with Orochimaru, a shinobi who is despised in our village for many treacherous blunders and refused to return home with us for fear of her own safety.

I had no problem with that.

Her eyes lingered on me any time she was not directly speaking to Naruto and her hands always seemed to find themselves on my body. Disgusting. It pisses me off to see that people will try continuously, even after consent is revoked, to manipulate and use others. I held no interest in her or any female. I did not know her and she did not command my respect. She was little more than a raspberry slut with powerful capabilities.

After parting ways, I got over my sour disposition quickly.

However, Naruto had adopted a rotten attitude at some point while my attention was diverted and it was _not_ going away. Maybe Karin got under his skin too.

Later that evening, exiting a tavern run by a cranky boar of a woman who held a policy against "nosy underage shinobi" aka me and the blonde idiot that offended her, we finally went off to find a place to make camp for the evening.

I pulled Naruto along behind me and laid out my packs under a Sakura tree, glaring my best friend down and daring him to complain. I've had just about enough of getting the run around today and I need a damn break from all these people with attitudes.

Within the last hour Naruto confessed that one of the things he is upset about was the possibility that there were so few scattered survivors that we may not find any others.. or at least not any worth returning home with. Then, he _refused_ to let me console him _even though I know how it feels to be the last survivor of your clan!_

His only comment was, "You just don't understand. That's not my entire issue, but it's all I'm going to say. You can't help me with this."

Anyways, the blonde was impatient and testy all day today; hunting our meals alone and refusing to hold solid conversation with me. When we finally got to a halfway decent village that would provide us a meal and shelter for an evening, he showed his ass and got us booted out.

Currently he is sitting up in a barren tree forty paces away digging through a pack and looks to be talking to himself.

'Fine. Whatever, if he wants to behave like a priss instead of being excited that we have a chance to get something done here then I'll just wait for him to come around. If he can forgive me for losing my shit and pushing him away, I can surely do the same for him and his damn attitude..' I looked up from laying out my bedroll and used shunpo to put myself directly in his personal space.

"So, you gonna help me gather firewood, or nah?" When he just blinked at me, I leaned forward and flicked him on the tip of his strangely delicate nose, earning a high pitched, ladylike sneeze for my efforts.

"Hey, what the hell was that for," he whined, giving me puppy dog eyes.

' _That was too great!_ ' I silently congratulated myself.

"Be useful. Help me grab some bundles of firewood or something... or, if you want to bathe I think there is a waterfall just west of here that empties into a stream. Go do something besides brood," I retort with a sinister smirk, "otherwise you'll wind up with unattractive stress lines that look like Itachi's."

I chuckled at that, but as Naruto's eyes widened and it dawned on me what I had just said, I wanted to punch myself in my face.

Bless his heart, he tried to play it off instead of prying, confused as he was that I would openly talk about Itachi like that.

"What? Surely you don't think a wrinkle would dare find homage on this handsome face," he laughed awkwardly and looked away, running his fingers through his overgrown, mop of silken hair.

"I guess I could go down to the water and relax for a bit."

Sighing and standing to give him some room before I left to gather kindling, Naruto looked up at me and laid his fingers on the back of my hand, making the spot tingle. I shifted my body slightly to peer down and meet his gaze.

Quietly, the blonde spoke, "I'm sorry about earlier, but I'm good now. I swear it." He looked so earnest and guilty about something that it made my heart pound harder.

"We're good. No worries," I told him, giving his fingers a quick squeeze.

The warmth of his hand and the expression on his face lingered in my mind for a bit, making my stomach feel funny. Well that was Naruto for you, always making you feel some type of way. Be it proud, hopeful determined or what have you.

Once the fire was blazing properly, I headed off to bathe as well. I was not about to let this grime build up and give me a zit.

 **Naruto POV**

Sasuke met my eyes with his beautiful and captivating jade ones, taking my breath away. I must have caught him off guard because he grabbed my fingers tightly before assuring me that we were okay.

Once he was gone, I leaned back against the trunk and waited for my thundering heart to slow its rapid pumping. It's crazy that even just that small amount of attention from him can shift my world right on its axis.

Shaking my head to hopefully clear my thoughts, I went into sage mode to locate the waterfall my friend spoke of.

Reaching the edge a few minutes before the sun set, I stood in awe. This place was so beautiful... and tonight the view was all mine. The waterfall stood roughly twice as tall as the Hokage monument back home. Shimmering in the last light of the day, it reflected various shades of blue, magenta and orange. I swear I felt butterflies in my stomach and at that moment, I was weightless. It was like euphoria to be here.

A small piece of heaven on earth.

Slowly, I tugged my shirt over my head, revealing a natural tan as well as defined back and shoulder muscles earned from years of training, activity and combat.

Threading my fingers through my hair, I inhaled deeply and stretched some, before I brought them back down to rest on my hips, pushing the waistline of my grey pants down, ever lower until bypassing my taught backside and exposing the corded muscles in my thighs, the material finally fell to my feet.

I straightened up and stepped out of them, into the water.

Four steps in, I found the drop-off and came up for air laughing as the pleasure I felt in this relaxing place consumed me. I peered up at the sky and could see the moon clearly. Luminous, she seemed so impossibly close and large tonight. A sigh escaped my lips and I relaxed, letting myself simply float for a bit.

 **Sasuke POV**

I arrived to such a scene, it took me a bit to fully comprehend what my eyes were seeing. Pleasing my aesthetic tastes were a million shades of grey and blue. A waterfall taller than any other I'd ever seen shimmering as it released water that stole my breath and created a nearly obsidian stream that reflected the stars shining above, interrupted only by the ripples caused by Naruto's movements.

It was stunning to behold him, as naked as he came into this world, standing on a low cliff and diving off it with perfect form. The moonlight reflected off his lithe and graceful body and I felt like this moment was meant to be a painted picture, a glory for all the world to view.

Then it dawned on me. We would be the only ones to witness tonight's beauty.. and perhaps Naruto wanted this spot to himself for the time being.

'What if he found out I had seen him without his consent..'

I blushed furiously, though I hadn't any intentions about what I'd witnessed. 'It is not my business to be eyeing my friend like that.. not in any manner. Knock it off Sasuke.'

But then I had to remind myself that neither of us owned this place or had more of a right to it than the other. And after all- though it is gorgeous, Naruto has already been out here for a good while. If he doesn't feel inclined to share, he can leave. It's not like I need permission to be here.

I slipped out of my clothes and took with me the homemade soap from the village I brought for our journey.

Leaving it on the bank of what turned out to be a particularly deep spot, I jumped into the water, almost coming back up in Naruto's face.

"Eeeeeeek!'' I scared the crap out of the boy who flailed around, before using his chakra to emerge and stand on the water, taking up a fighting stance.

Breathing heavy, once the water descended and was once again calm, his look of panic changed to one of being highly pissed. A wrinkle formed in his brow and his lips thinned as he looked at me.

Suddenly, as if realizing he was naked, Naruto shrieked again and covered his junk with both hands, quickly plummeting back into the water.

I was laughing so hard at this point I couldn't breathe, let alone speak. But Naruto had other ideas. He balled his fist and thumped me across the top of my head, " _What the hell, you bastard!_ " His face was so red it reminded me of a tomato. My laughter died down some after that, but he kept a good ten foot distance from me at all times, glaring at me from his position and eyeing me so that I wouldn't surprise him again and freak him out.

I finished washing myself and tossed him the soap.

"It was an honest accident, I promise. I jumped into the water and swam a bit of a distance before coming up. There was no way I could've known you were right there, the water is pitch black!" I argued, knowing I hadn't purposely scared him.

Changing my tone, I continued before he could interrupt me, "To be honest, it was kind of adorable. I mean you're creeping up on eightteen and you still lose your shit when something pops out of the darkness?"

"You try something coming out of the water to get you at night, man! That was so not cool! What if I'd tried to kill you and since you weren't expecting it, you really got hurt? That would crush me!"

My ears burn at what my best friend just confessed out loud, but since I don't understand exactly what feelings were meant behind it I don't follow that line of conversation.

I climb out of the water, trying not to feel ashamed of my nakedness since we _were_ bathing, and I grab my blanket out from the mess of discarded clothes to lay down on it, letting the night air dry the water from my skin.

Not long after, I hear my impulsive friend emerge from the water and his quiet voice, asking, "Can I lie with you for a bit?"

It wasn't too awkward, since we had both had the sense to drag on our boxers before stretching out. His were loose and a pale blue. Mine were a tight, form-fitting onyx that clung to me like a second skin.

"If that's what you want," I reply and continue gazing at the stars, "It's a lot like being at home together by our lake in Konoha. I can still see some of the same constellations... their locations have just shifted," I murmur, hoping to prompt him into conversation.

"These things always seem nicer when you're with the people who matter..." Naruto began, "I'm glad that I'm here with you," and he closed his eyes.

His declaration left me with nothing to say, but he probably knows I feel the same, so I remain quiet.

Thinking about what I overheard at the lake between Naruto and his blonde kunoichi friend, I start to feel unsettled.

"But I'm not your only close friend, am I?"

I turned my head to the side to look into his eyes, which were still shut. Inhaling sharply, but otherwise giving away no indications as to what he's thinking or feeling, I start to think he isn't going to reply.

In a rather defeated tone, he tells me, "You got me there Sas. I'm also close with Kiba and Ino... I'm surprised you noticed."

At his change in demeanor, I'm both slightly shocked and appalled.

"Why the hell wouldn't I notice? You're my best friend. You've been my friend since before they came into the picture. I know everything about you!" I didn't mean to sound so defensive, as if he was my friend more so than theirs. I know you can't actually claim a friend as only your own, but that's exactly what it felt like I was trying to do.

At that, Naruto opened his eyes and gave me a searching look. "Then why? When I got to my lowest and I was depressed or angry or wanted to kill myself... Sasuke, _so many times_ you weren't there for me." His words tore my heart to pieces. He swallowed audibly and spoke again, "I found a couple of friends who could take my mind off all the bad shit. Friends who could help me. We used each other to relieve stress and to work off the heightened emotions we were feeling at the time. Sometimes it was just the comfort of knowing another human being was there to offer acceptance and comfort regardless of the rest of the bullshit that goes on in this world... but I can't apologize for any of that. There were times where that was the only thing that got me through the stress."

A couple tears leaked out of his eyes and I felt so fucking bad for not trying harder in the past that I just wanted to hold the boy and chase away his demons.

Lowering his voice a little more and sounding somewhat hurt, he spoke once more, "Not all of us can just go apeshit and clock out when things in life take a wrong turn. The rest of us usually turn to _eachother_ for support..."

"I thought I had lost you, Sas. When you seemed to be drowning in your demons and you pulled away from me, I thought I had lost you..."

Knowing I needed to open up myself and be honest with him, I drew him close and buried my face in his hair- needing as much comfort as I knew he likely did.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you as much as I could and should have been in the past. I'm so sorry that I drew away from you and the others. I know I could have handled the situation better... but, Naruto, I was prohibited from telling you the information that fucked me up so bad. I was specifically ordered not to share any of the knowledge I hold until given permission to do otherwise. With Danzo still in the village, I was afraid if I was close to you I would have told you, and he would've found out from one of his spies in Anbu. My mind has cleared a little since then and I'm confident that if you choose to know what happened, you'd understand my reasoning for what I did. I trust that you won't share that knowledge with anyone. I just couldn't bring myself to let you in before because if he found out, he would discipline you for my actions."

 **Naruto POV**

Level headed and trying to explain something to me, Sasuke kept talking but I was so confused.

"Okay, okay whoa. I don't think were on the same page here.." I use both palms against Sasuke's warm chest to push off and give us some distance. I shoot him a questioning look, wanting to understand.

"Do you want to know what set me off earlier this year?" he asked me quietly. The look in his eyes was pained, but determined.

"Well, yeah. That was huge and it broke my heart to see you so messed up.." Waiting on a response, I prompt him gently. "Sasuke?"

He took a deep breath and turned over on his stomach; resting his chin on lean folded arms. He looked out into the forest as he finally opened up and told me what he'd been dying to share since the day he found out.

"Tsunade sent me with a team of Anbu to raid some of Danzo's hideouts. There have been rumors circling about him right and left.. so we were sent to investigate. We came across a lot of forbidden shit he was doing... and one scroll that we found among the many was the sealed order for the Uchiha massacre. It was signed by Danzo Shimura and the Konoha Council."

Sasuke breathes out, breathes in again, and says very softly, "Twelve years ago, the Uchiha clan was planning a coup to regain power in Konoha, since they felt like they were being ostracized by the rest of the village. The Sandaime and Danzo caught wind of it. Saroutobi wanted to find a diplomatic solution, but... Danzo didn't. He went behind the Hokage's back and..."

"He used Itachi," I finished for him, feeling like utter shit that Sasuke had to deal with finding out this shocking and horrid information alone.

I placed my hand firmly on his bicep and tugged, jostling him so that I could wrap my arms around my friend and show him that he wasn't alone. After a minute, he sniffed and buried his face in the crook of my neck. His now freezing hands went around my back as one gripped my side and the other fisted into my hair. Sasuke cried quietly as I held him and some of my tears made their way down my face to get lost in his damp raven locks. Sasuke hiccuped and moved his hands to wipe his face as I maneuvered myself onto my back and held him a little more fiercely.

I guess I was trying to make up for the time we had lost earlier on. All the time we had spent separated when all we needed was some genuine comfort from the ones who matter the most. I refrained from kissing his head when he relaxed and said, "Thanks, Naruto."

It was the most comfortable I had ever been. I awoke with Sasuke moved slightly away from me, but my arm under his head and our foreheads touching. It felt far too intimate for 'friends' so I tried to get out from under him without waking the boy. The sun was almost completely out this morning by the time I had gotten my clothes on and my face splashed with water.

Upon returning, Sasuke was finally sitting up- but his eyes were still closed.

He reached up in an effort to smooth his awry hair, "Ugh. Last night was rough. Why'd you let me do that? You know crying gives me headaches," I chuckle as I kneel beside him and set his clothes in his lap.

"We both needed that and you know it." Right at that moment, both our stomachs growled and Sasuke and I laughed at the sound.

I gave him a small smile and ran a hand through his mussed up morning hair as I stood. He really did look great in the mornings. I wish I were in a position to forget everything else and just eat him for breakfast...

"You gonna stare at me or are you gonna go rebuild that fire that that we wasted last night?"

"I am not making you breakfast. I'm not your bitch."

Contrary to what I just said though, I fashion a spear with a sturdy wooden rod and one of my kunai and set to work catching us fish for breakfast. We could spend all day talking shit to each other, but that isn't going to feed us.

After we move back to our original campsite- where I was relieved that nothing was ransacked or stolen- I built a fire for the two of us while Sasuke stripped the fish of their meat.

We eventually grew out of eating the entire fish and leaving the bones. Neither of us are big on scaly fish skin or their guts... crispy and burnt or not.

These days we just catch a little extra and eat only their meat.

"Ne, Sasuke? Why did you finally decide to tell me now? You could still get into trouble if Danzo finds out you told me. Not that I have a big mouth, but he has spies literally _everywhere,_ " I asked, a bit confused. Sasuke is a strong and tough guy. I know he didn't just tell me because he was tired of keeping it bottled up inside. While that may have been a prompting factor, I knew there had to be a bigger reason.

Boy, Sasuke sure doesn't disappoint.

"Lady Tsunade has set up a trial period while we are gone... She will have both him and the council on lockdown until the trial is over. Of course, the trial is just a formality. She's going to have them executed," he revealed all of that to me while chewing on a bit of fish. Never once making eye contact with me.

"Does this mean your brother will be welcomed back to the village?"

He thought for a minute before setting down the leaf that was holding his charred meat slices. "That is up for debate. Tsunade was not happy to find all this out, but she knew that the trial had to happen, to appease the members of Root and the Konoha citizens. She had me added me to your mission of tracking down the last of the Uzumaki's because it is likely that the village won't be trusting any of the Uchiha right now. Perhaps she is afraid that I'd get stoned in the street by them for my family's wrongdoings. First, is a coup planned by nearly all the members, and then one of them is crazy enough to go against their own flesh and blood- slaughtering them because they were told to?"

"All I know is, it should have blown over by the time we get back. If you or I want to extend our mission, we are free to, so long as we send a messenger to Tsunade and update her about it."

Sasuke finally looked at me then, "Part of me doesn't want to go back. Sometimes I'd love nothing more than to go out and make a new home, a new life for myself... but I swore that one day I'd watch you become Hokage and that I'd be at your side as you create a better future and city for our people. That's exactly what I'm going to do."

My eyes felt blurry after that and it was a good while before I was able to clear my vision again.

"Well then, I won't be letting you down will I?" I remarked playfully with my head tilted to the side and giving him a genuine smile that overtook the entirety of my face.

 **To be continued... xXx**


	6. The words you don't say

_**Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto or any of the characters therein- they all belong to Masashi Kishimoto. However, this story is entirely my own._

* * *

 **Sasuke POV**

Three short weeks have passed since we left Konoha, and every day is so different with Naruto.

We were close before... but never like this. We've grown so close in the last few weeks. It's so easy to open up with him. He makes me wonder why I ever held back with personal relationships...

I wouldn't go as far to say that we are close as brothers, because that term just doesn't fit for us, somehow. I can honestly say he is my best friend though, for better or worse.

At this point I'm certain that we need each other, and how we lived our lives separately before this point confounds me.

I can't really see us going back to Konoha and resuming our different lives where we only see each other on occasion, between solo missions and living in our separate, respective homes. If I'm being honest, I really enjoy his company.

This rivalry and close bond keeps pushing us to do our best in all endeavors and I know he has my back just as I have his. He has my full pride and support, for the guy he is now, and the leader of the Village Hidden in the Leaves that he will someday be, no doubt.

I never expected to honestly have a relationship where there were no boundaries.. ours is so honest and open. The first healthy relationship I've ever had. We talk about everything under the sun without feeling out of place together, and everything I dare him to do, he does without hesitation before getting payback in unusually sly ways. _'Naruto is fun to be around, and does wonders for my stress levels.'_ I smile softly to myself, content about the way things are going.

In an effort to keep his spirit up and stay true to the mission, I've been as diligent as a shinobi can be when it comes to gathering intel.

For whatever reason, I've found that I desperately want to make Naruto smile with the news that we have a lead or that we have actually found decedents of his people- and it's paying off.

"Oi!"

The blonde dobe I've been traveling with glanced up from some of the ancestry scrolls he had traded from a old man who had seen much but spoke only in riddles.

Naruto beamed at me, acknowledging my return to Touga Inn.

 _He is my precious person._

"You're not going to believe this," I thump large map of a nondescript island town onto the low table and look at him expectantly.

"You're tired of these Inns and you want to find a hut in the middle of nowhere instead...?"

I sigh at his density.

"No, idiot! I'm pretty sure that I've found surviving Uzumaki clan members," I point to the map and describe a route between that location and our own. "They live just out here, in Getsugakure."

Literally swept off my feet and spun around before I can catch the movement with my sharingan, Naruto winds himself around me and whoops in joy.

It brings a vindicated smirk to my face that he is so pleased, and I feel thoroughly satisfied in the results.

"You mean it? Sasuke, this is great news!" He chatters in my ear.

Hugging him back for just a moment, I put some distance between us to start planning the safest route by looking into different modes of transportation. I don't want to ruin the journey with needless battles in someone else's country.

"Currently, we are visiting the Kaguya islands. If we move north, past Kirigakure, there are several reputable Inns and hot springs we can use as a stopover. It's going to be a long trip by sea before we reach Getsugakure..."

I glance over and see my dobe daydreaming out the window with a silly grin on his face, whisker marks pulled taut and just a hint of teeth showing.

 _'He looks his best like this. Youthful and happy...'_

 **Naruto POV**

"Damn it, Sasuke! It's taking forever to get there as it is, let's skip the stop-over and just board a ship headed to Getsuga-wherever already."

 _'I'm desperate here!_ ' I think, growling internally.

"Hn. I want to go to the hot springs first. I've only gotten to visit them twice," the bastard gave me his most innocent look as he said it too, which made me feel like shit for trying to cut it out of our agenda.

I've been on pins and needles for the last four days.

Whereas before this ordeal; we had sufficient time to ourselves as we took on different roles in finding Uzumaki clan survivors, and that led us to spending enough time apart- these last few days while traveling in a wagon together, we've had to share the same sleeping quarters and small spaces. We've been up each others asses day in and day out. My head is swarming with his masculine scent. Listening to him breathe in his sleep at night makes me want to kiss those lips... and wake him up to do more than that. I'm going crazy here.

It's so embarrassing when each time our shoulders or arms bump, my blushing becomes more intense. As Sas is slightly older, you'd think he would be more adept at noticing these things... but he just seems genuinely exited about the mission and has been a touch distracted since we left the islands.

 _'It's totally cute actually..'_

On another note: Sasuke has taken to sleeping in nothing but a pair of underwear because it gets so hot at night, (due to sharing such a small sleeping space). His half naked form that shouldn't be an issue has been keeping me up long into the evening feeling awkward since when one of us turns over, we are practically spooning... and I'm constantly fighting a boner because he looks so damn good.

The fact that I'm attracted to Sasuke, who seems to have no idea, leaves a perpetual spike of guilt in my gut. He doesn't deserve to have a regular nobody take advantage of his trust like this. It's not that I regret loving him for who he is; I wouldn't change that if I could..

But still. Damn this raging erection that keeps me cranky and hiding from curious eyes to take care of it in the mornings.

Since we are going to be on this trip a little longer, I'll hold out until we can make it to the hot springs and then I'll find someone interested in a few hours of stress-management.

I'm just a teen, after all. I have hormones on overdrive keeping me horny a lot of the time, cut me some slack, yeah?

'I guess if I'm being honest, I don't really expect Sasuke to walk up to me and kiss my worries away. Making up for all the years I've secretly been crazy about him... so knowing where we stand in our relationship- I'll keep it to myself and find another solution.'

'It's probably always going to be this way, until Sasuke does find someone and breaks my heart. At that point, I shouldn't have any more notions of "us" to entertain and my likely depression will drive away these damned hormones that set me off.'

"Are you alright, Dobe?"

None other than the guy himself drops from atop the wall I'm resting against to look me over and try to figure me out.

"I'm perfectly fine, Sasuke," I smile, putting my lunch away.

He frowns deeply, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"You were nearly in tears. Don't lie to me, Naruto." He glares me down with his sharingan until I feel like cowering under his gaze.

I sigh deeply and shake my head at him. (I think he's getting his stubborn streak from yours truly).

"There's a lot on my mind sometimes. But it isn't a big deal. I'm totally fine, Sas."

I step forward to evade his inquisitioning but strong hands latch onto my shoulders and pull me face to face with the caring guy in front of me.

Anguished, his grip tightened on me and he dropped his gaze, "... Why, Naruto?"

I laid my hands over his, but before I could actually speak or even think of a response, he continued on.

"You seem to trust Ino and Kiba so much more than me. Sometimes I think we are so close, and then I'll find you pulling back. Often hiding something from me, but saying you're fine or even redirecting the line of conversation so that I'll be forced to drop it."

His anger made a comeback then, "Damn it, you Uzumaki brat! I want you to trust and rely on me... I want you to choose _me_ over them, because I was here for you first."

His searching gaze met my own shocked one as he whispered, " _You were mine first. You're_ my _best friend, Naruto. You're all I have. Please, let me be there for you."_

Having trouble speaking around the wet lump in my throat, I do my best to reassure him.

"Sasuke, it makes me incredibly happy to know that you care so much. We've been through a lot together.. and I haven't forgotten any of that. You need to understand that I _do_ need you, and I damn sure will be relying on you as my most important person."I paused to let that sink in.

 _'Because at the end of the day Sasuke.. you're all that matters to me. Forever.'_

"However, I do have an issue that I cannot discuss with you, it has nothing to do with any lack of faith in you. It's just the nature of the issue itself. I believe I told you once before.. and this is all I'm going to say about it.. but you _aren't able_ help me with this."

 _The irony of why he was miffed was not lost on me. 'I put other people first, before him? If he only knew...'_

Chalking his possessive side up to the Uchiha blood in his veins; I put a little more emphasis on the end, hoping that he would suck it up and leave it be.

Sasuke looked somewhat baffled before his lips quirked upwards and he grabbed my face, making me freeze as he leaned in close and searched my features for any evidence of tears still waiting to be shed.

 _'Your hands so feel wonderful against my cheeks.'_

Satisfied with what he saw, he grumbled lightheartedly, "There's just no besting you, is there?"

He removed his hands and stepped back, shaking one finger in my face as he went. "You may keep this _one,_ singular issue to yourself. After that, I expect you to come talk to me. I promise, if you let all your problems sit on your shoulders in such a manner, they'll weigh you down until you lose yourself. Trust me on that."

Annoyed endlessly because I thought he sounded like a wanna-be big brother, I grimace.

With a click of his tongue, he reminded me of the time of departure. I scurried off to stuff my scrolls back into my packs before we caught our ride to the hot springs resort.

The first establishment we went to was the closest. It was a communal hotspring for men and women to mingle together. Sasuke said he didn't care because he hadn't wanted to come here for the locals, but in the end I dragged him off to another place where the genders were separated. The last thing I wanted to see were a thousand naked girls trying to molest Sasuke in front of me.

He wholeheartedly agreed.

Although, it would be a bit funny to see his exasperation as he fought them all off while preserving his modesty. Man, does he have more than enough to not need to worry about modesty and still keep his bragging rights...

Following his lead as we walk to the next hot spring resort, I'm daydreaming about what Sasuke looks like with a hard on (since I've still never seen it even after all our time together!).

Said raven grabs me by the scruff of the neck and hauls me back to the entrance, telling me to pay attention to my surroundings because we'd already arrived.

I pay our way in and narrowly dodge a towel smack to my round ass from an older man who reminds me of Sakura's weird looking dad. This effectively reminds me that I am totally into finding someone for a quick hookup for the night.

The older dude gets a thorough scolding from Sasuke for being a lecherous ass and I quietly snigger around the corner from them at the action.

 **Sasuke POV**

The pervert that tried to hit Naruto on the backside finally left before I had to use my sharingan and we got to change out of our clothes.

Choosing the empty bin beside Naruto, I place my discarded garments inside and watch as he does the same. I can understand Naruto's appeal, even to that older guy with no manners.

He's totally ripped, that's what people look for in guys, right? But there is more to the dobe than that. Every movement and expression he makes is genuine, and these days he is quick to smile- making his blue eyes shine like nothing you've ever seen. Those whisker marks on his cheeks look decent with his tan complexion, which I was surprised to find out was natural the first time I saw him nude.

'The lucky bastard.'

Compared to him, I'm just average; lean and tall with a slight muscle definition that tells of practiced swordsmanship.

"You gonna stare me down until you scare me off or what?"

"Hn. You're taking forever to get into the water, hurry up or next time it'll be _my_ towel across your ass, _Usuratonkachi._ "

At that, he stops dead in his tracks. I purposely glance at his shapely rear and back into his shocked eyes to goad him into moving forward.

"... Eep." When nothing actually came out of his mouth and his blush didn't seem to be going away, I stepped forward. I wrap my arm around his shoulders and guide him into the water.

"Damn, Naruto. You didn't have to make it so weird."

The hot water was amazing on my tired and cramped back. The second we submerged our lower halves, Naruto decided to go completely under and soak his hair.

Knowing he was going to come up and shake the water droplets all over me, I snatch up his own towel and half unfold it as a shield.

"AWWW, man. Sasuke, you really suck! You got my towel all wet," he cried, using his little boy voice to make me laugh.

"I'm just looking out for number one," I shrug, leaning back with my eyes closed.

"You're lucky it isn't very sanitary here, or I would totally spit water on your face," He grumbled under his breath.

After awhile of nearly dozing off, I regained full consciousness when I heard Naruto's voice a distance away laughing at something someone had said. I opened one eye and peaked out to see if it was anyone we knew, but the purple haired kid seemed to be just a random local, about the same age as the two of us.

I groaned in annoyance, _'I really don't want to spend the evening getting to know a stranger that I'm never going to see again. I hope Naruto doesn't bring him over here.'_

I froze.

Apparently there had been two guys he was talking to, and the taller brunette is moving behind my blonde to rub his shoulders.

"Does he think I can't see him, messing around in the same spring as me!," I growl. "Who the hell do they think they are? You can't just go around touching any guy you want to and call it game! Who knows where those filthy people have been... or with who!"

The longer I watched, the angrier I got.

I know it's totally irrational, his sex life is none of my business- but when Naruto actually leaned into the body behind him as his shoulders were being massaged and then the guy in front of him slid closer sending an intimate smile at the blonde idiot, I snapped.

Moving quickly, with long, angry strides, I was in front of them in no time.

I ground my teeth together. Refusing to call these feelings jealousy.

"What the hell do you think you're doing," I spit out, keeping my eyes only on Naruto.

Looking like he got caught doing something he would've rather kept private- funny place for that, really- his words got stuck in his throat.

"Uh, I... Uh. We weren't really doing anything Sasuke."

"Bullshit, you're letting them put their hands all over you!" I hollered at him, making him jump.

He looked shaken when I demanded that he answer me.

"What right do you have to get upset with what I do and who I'm involved with, Sasuke? On what authority are you coming over here to pick a fight and ruin something consensual that has nothing to do with you?"

"Are you serious, you idiot? You don't know where these people have been or what they're like. _Why_ would you agree to something like this!?"

Both of the guys who were previously advancing on Naruto made eye contact and nodded.

Standing from the water, they get a sympathetic look from Naruto and then the pair dissappear into the resort.

"Because I've been tense for the last month and this is how I like to relax, okay?" He gestured two the door his previous companions escaped behind.

"I'm not like Shikamaru, I can't just gaze at the clouds and let all my stress melt away. Also, you have to actually have a safe place to spar where you can be assured that no bystanders will be affected or hurt if you want to relieve stress that way."

Looking at me and seeming quite defeated, he scrubbed his face and implored, "What did you honestly expect of me, Sasuke?"

"...I know that you rely on your friends when you have needs, you Usuratonkatchi! Ino, Gaara, and Kiba..."

I step forward into his space, because I am still very upset at what I just witnessed.

I fumed, motioning with my hands all the while. "I want you to come to _me_. I thought we agreed that you would let me be there for you if you needed _anything_! We don't need anyone else if we've got each other. There could _never_ be _anyone else_ who would ever understand you as well as me... Dammit! _I'm here for you, Naruto!"_

Skeptical, he reprimanded me. "You selfish prick. Do you realize what you're saying right now? I just tried to get laid and you're saying you wanted to be my... my partner? What exactly is it that you're trying to tell me?"

The reality of the situation caught up to me and I slowly scratched the back of my head, looking to the side and displaying an involuntary crimson blush.

"Uh, well I've never done anything like that before but if you thought you needed to, _I_ would be able to do that too.. It's not a big deal..."

 **Naruto POV**

Though clearly embarrassed, he tried to steel himself and sound unphased.

My nose opened the floodgates and I literally fell backwards into the water at his statement.

'Sasuke would be willing to try having sex with me if I wanted it?'

"Oi, What the hell!" Sasuke crowed at me.

I stand up and wipe the water from my eyes, "You dumbass! Sex with you is not just, 'No big deal', and you're still a virgin to boot! That's just fucked up for you to make yourself into an offering like that! Don't do that for anyone, Sasuke. Look, I'm not here to take advantage of you. I care about you, but 'using you' is not what I'm looking for."

'Does that mean that he's looking for more than that? Could he be willing to be mine, first and foremost?'

 _'I want a relationship with you. I want to make love to you and hear you cry out your feelings for me as you release. I want to know that if we went that far, there would be mutual feelings involved and that you would look upon it as neither a one night stand nor a regret.'_

"Am I not good enough?" He deadpanned.

I watch him with a heavy heart, but I don't speak a word of my thoughts to him.

Breathing in sharply, I make it a point to change that line of thinking. "I thought you were straight, Sasuke. Was I wrong?"

The bastard had the balls to actually laugh at me as I said that.

"You have to find someone you're attracted to before you know what the hell you are, Dobe."

 _'Ouch.'_

Figures that he would be this way. However, it really did hurt to hear out loud in words that he didn't find me attractive enough to know if he was gay or not.

"You practically volunteered to sleep with me even though you just said that you don't find me appealing. That's really smooth, Sasuke," I snark.

He immediately replied, "Technically speaking, we sleep together all the time."

" _Teme_ ," I growl, "We are not intimate so don't go around saying things like that..."

 _'It feels like you're mocking me.'_

"Honestly, Naruto. To speak quite bluntly, the only person I'd be remotely attracted to would be you, because we have a strong relationship to back that up. It would only make sense." He put his right hand on his jutted out hip and cocked an eyebrow at me.

I stared at him, dumbfounded. Not missing the fact that his speech was rhetorical, rather than a confession of feelings (' _which don't exist, Naruto_!').

Sasuke took a moment as if to think, before nodding.

Apparently he'd come to a decision.

"Don't pick anyone else over me anymore; not your friends in Konoha and _damn sure_ not random people in the towns you cross on your trips when we are together." He pokes his finger into my chest lightly to emphasize his words.

"Sasuke..." I take a step back and fist my hand over my heart, which feels like it's falling to pieces inside of me, unbeknownst to anyone else.

He asked, genuinely curious, "Why have you never tried to be intimate with _me_?"

My beloved's question hit me in the chest like a well aimed shurikan.

 _'How do I respond to that?'_ ' _Because you've never seemed interested?' 'Because if you were, it wouldn't be out of love for me. And since I am unconditionally in love with you that would hurt so much...?'_

My eyes wide and mouth agape like a fish out of water, I stutter and struggle to come up with an explanation.

Deciding I just can't tell him what he wants to know, my shoulders sag and I stride past him out of the pool.

Wrapping an extra dry towel around my hips, I mutter, "It doesn't matter. The moment is gone anyways, Sasuke, so leave it alone. I'm going to sleep..."

I lay on the floor that night while leaving Sasuke to take the bed, tossing and turning until it was reasonable he was sleeping.

Feeling endlessly terrible for the situation I'd put myself into, I eventually stepped outside to get some fresh air.

My footfalls fell quietly. To anyone else, I probably looked like the epitome of content. However, stretched out on the stone by the water, I was roiling with emotions. My strongest urge was to cry.

It felt like I was so close, and yet so far from the relationship I dreamed about with Sasuke. Finally! We were closer than we had ever been... but I'd also been slapped in the face with the hard truth. Sasuke doesn't love me. I'm just a friend that he feels obligated to keep in line and look out for.

 **Sasuke POV**

I lay in bed pretending to sleep as Naruto finally ceases rolling around on the floor in favor of abandoning the room altogether.

I don't even know what happened today. 'I guess I just can't stand the idea of losing Naruto to someone else. He is my best friend after all.'

Frowning, my thoughts take a different path. 'That doesn't mean that I can stop him from having relationships with other people, though. Does it?'

I pull the sheets around me tighter, not enjoying the feelings churning in my middle at this line of thought. I remember the night I overheard Naruto and Ino; the night my best friend claimed to be in love with someone.

I was shell shocked.

I didn't know how to feel, so I buried that knowledge until I had some plan to talk to him about it. I still cant imagine him pining away over a hopeless romance. However, seeing Naruto with those men today.. That almost hurt as much as it came as a surprise.

 _I want Naruto to myself_.

If I could find out who his interest is, maybe eventually I could steal him away. I don't ever want to see the day where he needs someone else. He told me once when we were younger that I am one of his most precious people, but to be brutally honest, Naruto is my most and only precious person...'

'I don't have the right to stop him from loving people. I do know that... But why won't he tell me about it when he even told Ino? Is that what he has been hiding lately?

What the hell do I mean to him?

What exactly do I even want from him?

I'm acting like an obsessive Uchiha defending a mate for Kami's sake.'

'Ugh,' I pull at my hair in confusion, irritated. 'I really did ask him to come to me for his physical needs today, didn't I?'

That makes my cheeks burn as I swallow hard. 'So what? Apparently his unrequited love interest is a lost cause anyways. If he can do it with others, than he can do it with me. It's a simple thing right? But he _did_ say it was a big deal... Well, anyways you should choose the people who matter the most for that stuff. I can't believe he would go to just anyone for that! It wouldn't have even been so weird if he had wanted to experiment with me in the first place, dammit.'

I think back to all the times I had seen his naked body and the way he got almost shy when we had a reason to be disrobed together, be it bathing or swimming. 'Come to think of it, Naruto doesn't act like he gives a shit at all when he's naked with anyone else... he's totally confident. I've seen proof of the difference firsthand. What the hell,' I mentally count the times I've caught him acting nervous... and it only happens when he knows I'm around that I've seen.

"That asshole!"

I sit up in bed, fuming as the first thought I have is that he claims to be my best friend but that he isn't completely comfortable with me at all. But that night at the falls, when he offered me comfort as I was on the verge of breaking down... He really does care about me, right?

It clicked.

How Naruto can get so shy at the most odd of times, how he disappears around daybreak when we sleep together instead of chancing that I'd see his- " _Holy_ fucking _shit._ "

'How did he word it earlier, exactly?'

He yelled, ' _"You dumbass! Sex with you is not just, 'No big deal', and you're still a virgin to boot! That's just fucked up for you to make yourself into an offering like that! Don't do that for anyone, Sasuke. Look, I'm not here to take advantage of you. I care about you, but '_ using you' _is not what I'm looking for." '_

'Does that mean that he's looking for more than that? Could he be willing to be mine, first and foremost?'

If that's possible, then why would he try to hook up with someone else if he was interested in me? Was he that horny?... Am I crazy?

...Or maybe being around the guy you like takes a lot of self control and if you think he isn't interested back you gotta blow your load somehow regardless...'

Daydreaming to myself about what would have happened if Naruto came and confronted me about what he wanted, I'm blushing again.

Soon, my heart plummeted into my stomach. 'Oh my god. No. No! Sasuke... You dumbass!'

" _Fuck_!" I roared.

'And I told him to his face that I wasn't attracted to him...' I want to use Chidori on myself. 'How can I be so fucking dense?'

The look in my teammate's eyes as I said, _"You have to find someone you're attracted to before you know what the hell you are, Dobe."_ 'No... Dammit. That's not what I meant at all, and the way his face fell when those words left my mouth... you'd have thought someone took away his rights to become Hokage or something. I didn't know the weight of what I was saying at the time, or I would have actually taken a minute to think logically and be serious and honest about my sexuality!'

'He's probably out there right now, hurt because I'm so stupid!'

"Dammit," I punched the mattress and flopped back down.

How can I tell him that I know he has serious feelings for me if I can't even put into words how the hell I feel about him right now? That would be too cruel, and he would likely go back to the village, thinking I had rejected him.

'Do I want to reject him? He will always be my closest friend who means the most to me. Does that mean I want him romantically? I could probably honestly admit to loving him as a dear friend but his feelings are so much more advanced than my own. Ugh! This is all so new to me... hn.'

I lay in bed frustrated for the next few hours, overthinking until I can finally feel dawn encroaching. It gives me an opening to search for the blonde who is trying to hide secrets from me.

 ** _Naruto POV_**

"Naruto, baby. Come back to bed," A gorgeous man stepped out of the shadows, letting the silver moonlight dance on his perfectly sculpted face.

The other men in the bath drew up short in their conversations as this new daunting and alluring presence captivated them.

"Hmm. But I _like_ it in here, Sas," I shift closer to the wall of the hot spring and rest my head on lengthy crossed arms.

A sinister look crosses my features as I stand up fully and toss my long hair out of my face. "If you want me to get out, _you're gonna have to come in and make me do it_ ," I slide my hands up my torso and pinch one of my pert nipples as he watches with bated breath.

I take two slow steps backward as he sucks his bottom lip in between his teeth and comes forward to meet me at the water's edge. The man is strong enough to pull me out of the water by my biceps, with just the smallest hint of help.

Sasuke's hands slip down to my waist, where his thumbs trace circles and dig into my hot flesh; he drags me closer until my nude, wet body is soaking his dark evening garb.

"You are being _very_ naughty, Naruto."

"Am I now? Then should I bow to your every desire?"

I lean up and wrap my arms tightly around his neck, breathing my words against his warm lips. In response, he slides one foot behind my ankle to effectively topple my balance, dipping me into a quite literal bow.

"Actually, I think I rather like this a lot, _my love_." Sasuke's tongue darts out to trace the crease of my parted lips as my arms tighten around him.

Inhaling deeply through my nose as our wet appendages meet and stroke lovingly, I fleetingly think, ' _Hell yes. This is exactly what I need, Sasuke_. _Don't you dare stop..._ '

I drag my lover down with me to the stone floor by the water. Kneeling, his knees spread on either side of my own, Sasuke pauses and pulls back from me.

Frustrated that he would end our tongue battle so soon, I follow him- my seeking mouth meeting his earlobe where I gently enclose my teeth around it and nip as his head is turned from me to the crowd of spectators avidly watching us.

I sigh loudly.

Sasuke grabs hold of my chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting my head to the side. He leaned in to murmur against my ear in a voice too seductive for his own good, "Are you content with going so far in front of all these people? We can still go back to our room, if you'd like to..."

"Mmmmh, Sasuke. Let them watch," I ease my hand under the garment hanging from his shoulders and my fingertips dance down his porcelain chest until I reach the crimson belt of his thick obsidian robe settled at his waist.

I tug. Hard.

The material falls open and I finally catch sight of my prize standing tall and proud, on the verge of weeping as if to say, 'I agree with your choice to have an audience.'

Strong hands grab my face and bring me eye to eye with my most precious person.

"I love you so much, Nar."

I lean my forehead to his and our noses rub together in a sweet gesture.

"I love you more, baby," I respond smiling my hears swells in my chest until I can't breathe.

"Hm? I don't think I heard you," He whispers as his lips trail down to my neck, "Tell me again..."

He bites down on my pulse point, sending torrents of pleasure through my system from the intimate touch. With my lover lapping over the possessive mark he left, I can't help but mewl in appreciation.

"I love you so much, Sasuke..."

I lean in to press as much of my body against his as I am able and I ardently capture his lips as if to devour this gorgeous man. My hands wander higher to release his bangs from a clip and his hair is so soft, falling against my face like a gentle caress as his hands fist into my own. I can't put into words how much I love this man; something about him just calls out to my soul and begs the two of us to stay together. He makes my heart so full... my life so complete.

Withdrawing his tongue from my wet cavern, he places one hand on my shoulder and gently guides me to lay back while the other removes his robe entirely, this frees him to do what he really wants, which seems to be alternately kneading and kissing my thighs as well as the skin just behind my knees.

His smouldering gaze captures my own as he places sporadic kisses down my left inner thigh and up past my hip, successfully avoiding my aching manhood and drawing out a frustrated groan from me as I prop myself up on my elbows.

I cup one hand behind his head and pull him closer to me, never quite sated in my thirst for his kisses.

I grind upward against his flushed member, desperately seeking friction when he opens his eyes to convey a clear, "No," in response.

Tiring of the wait, I flip our positions so that I am on top and I attempt to begin stretching my own entrance as I kneel over him.

Sasuke is having _none_ of that.

Abruptly, he grips my hips with strong hands and forces me to bring the most private parts of myself in front of his face while I straddle his upper torso. His eyes shine with mirth as he kisses the tip of my head before sliding under and kissing my pucker, effectively showing me what he was really after.

Oh, Kami did that feel good!

"Sas, wait. I want to touch you too," I turn my position and lean down to capture one of his balls in my mouth while I fondle the other and he begins lapping at my hole, flattening his talented appendage.

The feeling of his tongue pushing in had me gasping. My back arched as all my attention was drawn to the exquisite feeling of his velvet appendage stroking my inner walls.

In one quick movement, I suck his length into my throat and my nose hits his pink sac as he jerks his hips up sharply, surprising me.

With each of Sasuke's moans, I burn a little hotter.

"Unnghh, Naruto!"

With doubled effort, my lover frantically starts to pump his tongue in and out of me, stretching my opening in the best way.

It isn't long before I feel his tongue migrate to my taint and then a finger breaches me, searching for my prostate in loving methodical strokes.

I speed up my ministrations on his cock and lift his hips slightly, sliding one strong arm under his rear to keep it in the air like I want. After laving my tongue across his slit the way he likes it, I nip the glans lightly before trailing my mouth from the head of his cock to lick a wet stripe down the underside of his shaft. I decide to give him a taste of what I'm feeling as I firmly stroke my tongue over his pink opening.

I wiggle my behind around on his face, making him laugh genuinely and slap my ass.

Looking over to the springs and the people lounging in the water, I meet several lustful and curious gazes with my own knowing look.

You can see it in their eyes; in the movements of their arms as they jerk themselves underwater while staring at us.

We excited one couple so intensely that they couldn't keep their hands off each other any more than we could, judging by the way the smaller one is spread out with one knee thrown over each arm of the man standing before him and being slammed onto his partner's hard dick. He bites down on one fist to contain his moans as he grips the larger man's neck for balance with the other.

I turn back to my lover, knowing so many people are going crazy for just a taste of him and thrilled that in this moment he is all mine.

"Mmm, baby you taste like honey," I give him my undivided attention then, pleased with the task of pleasuring this amazing man.

Slipping both his forefingers into my hole to hold me open to his hungry gaze, he responds quietly, "Yeah, I missed you pretty bad when you disappeared earlier... I used some of your lube to keep myself busy. You don't mind, right?

I slid my tongue inside him and sucked the remaining lube off of him.

"Mmm, not if it means I get to top.."

"Absolutely not," he spanked my ass harshly sending spikes of white hot desire to my cock, "You are going to submit and take your punishment for being a naughty boy, Naruto."

Smacking the other side of my ass as he lifted his face to torment me a bit more, I cry out. The pleasure is making me light headed.

"I want more, Sas."

"Oh, yeah?" He angled three fingers into me with one hard thrust, hitting my prostate perfectly and making me scream for the first time that evening.

"Oh, Kami," I sobbed, "I want your cock buried deep inside my ass, baby. Fuck me so hard you make all those men cum too."

My begging seemed to do the trick, because after a playful bite to my ass cheek, he obliged.

I crawled off him to stand to my full height before extending an arm to help my handsome lover up.

He launched himself at me, crashing his mouth against my own in a heated struggle for dominance as he guided me blindly back against the wall of the men's area. It was icy against my flushed and sweaty skin, making me hiss at the sharp contrast.

Sasuke bit down on my bottom lip and tugged softly as he rubbed circles against my sides where his fingers were splayed. Taking the initiative, I grabbed his buttocks firmly and pulled him up against me until both leaking erections were pressed between our abs, " _You're mine_ ," I growled. " _I'm never sharing you with anyone, you got that_?"

In an answering gesture, Sasuke ran his hands across my back and down to my thighs where he gripped them and helped me wrap my long legs around his waist with the wall supporting me.

"Pfft. As if I'd ever let anyone else as close to my heart as you are to me," the raven leaned in close and whispered those endearing words to me right before he sank his massive length into my tight opening.

"Fuuuuck..." He let out a deliciously low moan, causing the heat to surge in my belly as he kissed along my jawline.

I just gasped, unsure whether it was his confession or the hot cock up my ass that was overwhelming my senses with more pleasure.

"I swear to you," He pulled out entirely for a moment to look into my eyes, "There will _never_ be anyone else for me, but you." When he said the word 'never', he slammed me on his cock until he was completely sheathed within me.

I screamed.

"Sasuke!"

"Yeah, just like that..." he began rapidly pumping himself into me while I clung to his shoulders, blinded by the onslaught of pleasure as every thrust landed perfectly against my prostate.

Unintentionallyn, my nails dug into his shoulder blades, making him moan louder than before.

Possessive as ever, I close my lips around the skin of his neck and suck harshly until Sasuke's breathing becomes erratic and his grip on my thighs becomes bruising.

I release him with a wet 'pop' and admire the sizeable dark hickey adorning his throat.

" _Mine_ ," I whisper against his skin, between the abusing thrusts to my prostate.

Sasuke's thrusts become frantic as he leans away enough to snake a hand between us and fist my cock. I flex my thighs and keep up the pace in the absence of his supporting arm; effectively impaling myself on his rigid member as fast and as roughly as I am able to move.

So close to cumming myself, I moan in his ear begging him to fill me up with is hot seed.

"Show me what I do to you, Sasuke. Please cum," I whine as he tightens his thumb and index finger around the base of my dick, "Spill yourself inside me, Sasuke."

"Unnghh!"

He thrusts himself four more times hard as fuck inside me before exploding. I can his feel his cock pulse as he releases torrents of thick, hot liquid in my ass and I clench fiercely around his sensitive member as payback for cutting off my own orgasm with his hand.

He leans his head forward to rest against the crook of my neck, "You earned that when you left me alone in the room to take care of myself, _Na-ru-to_..."

Frustrated and pissed that I was being denied my climax, I disentangle my limbs from my lover but before I can jerk myself to completion, Sasuke's beautiful form kneels in front of me and takes me into his searing mouth.

He winks at me and with more energy than he should rightfully have, he bobs his head over my length, using a lean, pale hand with those gorgeous, long fingers I love so much to stroke what he couldn't reach with his mouth.

Feeling my orgasm approaching, I gather Sasuke's long raven hair in both hands and tilt his head slightly back while thrusting into his eager mouth. I watch as he loosens his jaw more and decide not to hold back.

Warning him before it hits, I slide one hand down to his shoulder and tap rapidly.

Unphased, Sasuke placed his hands on my thighs and presses forward, sliding my considerable length completely into his throat, where I finally release. Hard.

... _Naruto_?"

A hand gently shakes me awake. I open my eyes marginally for less than a second and see my most precious person crouched in front of me, making me smile wide.

"Hey, baby."

There is a pause, but then he tucks my bangs behind my ear before giving it a tug.

"Wake up dobe."

"Huh? _Aaaah_!"

I bolt upright and wince, my boxers are soaked. 'Fuck, It was just a wet dream.. Wait! Did I say anything about Sasuke while I was sleeping!?'

I scan his face, searching for any cracks in his demeanor that would lead me to think that he possibly found out he was in my dream, but I can see no indications that he knows anything. His eyes bore into mine quite intensely as I offer up a sheepish smile.

I sit up and stretch after the long night on a hardwood floor, heavily relieved that my secret was still mostly safe.

'As long as we don't have any more repeats of yesterday... _holy hell_ that was a mess.'

"Is breakfast ready? I hope they have ramen...," I question him casually, as my stomach growls. Sasuke smiles, but says nothing more for the moment as we go inside together.

 **To be continued... xx**

* * *

 **Authors note:** Hello, everyone! Alright. So, Naruto is finally out of his asshole chrysalis now that he and Sasuke are speaking again. I realize he was harsh when he was pent up and looking for an outlet with Gaara, and personally I'm a huge fan of NaruGaa fluff; however, with his personality having been selfish and unforgiving unless it directly related to Sasuke at that point, I feel that it couldn't have turned out much differently. Naruto does acknowledge Gaara and their friendship and he _absolutely does_ value the redhead; but when he was hormonal and wound up in the moment, he was just taking care of himself. That's not to say that he feels hateful towards his friends based on the way he took Gaara previously. After all, he is still just sixteen and hormonal. Also, he is only careful and gentle with Sasuke now, because the Uchiha is his weak spot and he's finally done being a raging thunderstorm with great legs. I'm aware there is going to be some hate for the different ways he treated both virgins.

Thanks for reading! Leave me a review and let me know what you like/ don't like and what you'd like to see possibly happen. I'd love to hear from you!

See you with the next chapter!

Ja ne!~


	7. Closer to you

**Warning** : Adult language in this chapter, unsuitable for readers 17+.

I want to apologize for not pumping these chapters out faster. I keep losing motivation and the words don't flow from my fingers as freely as I would like sometimes. I promise not to leave you all hanging. I will absolutely finish this story, and I think there is going to be a sequel after we're finished here! I look forward to writing the rest of this story, as it is truly fun to mold the story as I go. Let me know if you find any discrepancies, as I've gone through the entire thing again and tried to fill in my notes on where I left off on different places.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it!

Ja ne!~

 _ **Disclaimer** : I do not own Naruto or any of the characters therein- they all belong to Masashi Kishimoto. However, this story is entirely my own._

* * *

After lying in bed awake all night every night overthinking my relationship with Naruto and his feelings for me, I'm fucking exhausted.

I also can't sleep well anymore unless he is next to me. That was a fucking discovery.

He has refused to touch me or sit very close to me at all since we finished breakfast the morning after our confrontation. It is really getting under my skin. It's only been three days, and maybe I'm feeling irrationally cranky... but even if we aren't lovers and it makes Naruto somewhat uncomfortable to be in this predicament; we are still best friends and having him avoid physical contact with me just because things got a little awkward is _not cutting it_.

When we boarded the ship, I followed Naruto out onto the quarterdeck where we leaned against the rails and watched the docks be swallowed by the water as we finally left port.

 **Naruto POV**

As we stood at the front of the ship with the wind gently ruffling our hair and our clothing, I was a little taken aback since Sasuke had so suddenly and adamantly jumped into my personal space and made himself comfortable seemingly out of nowhere. We have just spent three incredibly tense and incredibly _long_ days of me trying to distance myself from Sasuke at the resort where we were supposed to be relaxing.

The irony, huh?

All the tension left Sasuke's body in a rush as he slumped against me. I flinched at the contact, wanting to distance us so that it would be easier to keep my boner away (since all I can think about when Sasuke is near is the really vivid dream I recently had...), but when I look down it is just too cute.

Sasuke looks exhausted and at this moment he is out cold as he leans against the railing and myself for support.

I wrap my arms around his unconscious form and gently lower us to the floor, placing his head in my lap and taking deep breaths to calm myself. Honestly, I love it that he trusts me so much that he can fall asleep on his feet and rely on me to take care of him. If I were anyone else, I know he would've disappeared to get a decent nap on an actual bed somewhere.

So badly, I once again wish I could tell him how I feel.

I wish I could show him what I want.

I'm sure I could go out on a limb and say that I'm as close as Sasuke has ever gotten to loving anyone since he lost his family at the age of seven... 'Even with me being his closest... _(and basically his only)_ friend, and even with his tactless offer of blowing off steam with me in the way I was looking for with those guys- the fact still remains that even if Sasuke ever got brave enough and tried to top me, he would still never fall for me. Why should he? There's no way he could be happy in a relationship with me.'

 _'I may not be as loud and obnoxious as I used to, but I ain't the perfect boyfriend type either. Sasuke shouldn't be with anyone who he can't feel proud of walking down the streets of Konoha.'_

My lip gets trapped between my teeth unconsciously as I frown, tracing his cheek bones with my eyes and the veins on his hands with my curious fingers.

I wish I could just stop dreaming about the day our relationship escalates into something real and tangible.

 _'Dammit! I don't want to dream about coming home from long missions to a happy Sasuke in the kitchen pouring over a book and his face lighting up with a grin as I close the door behind me. I'm tired of fantasizing about the day I become Hokage and he congratulates me with flowers and the sweetest kiss we could ever share that makes my knees buckle. I'm tired of waking up from dreams where Sasuke effortlessly robs me of breath and floods my mind and body with so much passion I can't fully process it all at once. I'm tired of pining for the day our eyes meet and I see an endless depth of love reflected n those handsome black eyes that match the intensity of my own.'_

But I can't bring myself to be angry about it. I just feel somewhat hollow and morose. It's strange to look upon his beautiful face like this and not have to wear my mask. It's a relief too, because he would never understand, and I could never get the words out of my mouth. I guess I'm not strong enough.

Even though it's hell on my back after sleeping on a hard wood floor with no pallet for the last few evenings, I sit there like that for awhile. I really don't want to leave this position. Anyhow, it's still early yet and three or four hours of sleep now shouldn't offset Sasuke's sleep pattern tonight.

I spend the time alternately playing with his hair when I can't sit still and just resting my hands on my abdomen, watching his chest rise and fall as I hope his dreams are pleasant.

I briefly wonder what the family will be like as I train my eyes on the horizon. Sasuke had said that there was most likely a small family in Getsugakure; that one of his contacts had discovered an orphaned Uzumaki girl about the age of sixteen who had been reported missing. Apparently she abandoned an uptight surrogate family in the middle of the night. They eventually put out a reward for her, but that was ten years ago and she was rumored to have gone into hiding on this random island we're headed to.

Sasuke had suspicions that maybe she had found connections to other survivors of our shared Uzumaki lineage and was trying to keep both of our hopes high about the outcome of this endeavor.

I wonder what she'll be like. Would my mom have been like her? If I had a sister, would they have gotten along and had sleepovers, maybe causing mischief if they were anything like me...?

It would've been wonderful to have known my original family before I lost them. Sas is both blessed and cursed on that aspect...

Old man Sarutobi told me once that he wasn't sure who my parents were, and I think that was an outright lie. _'Maybe when we get back to Konoha, Grandma Tsunade will look around for records or some kind of Konoha family tree records for the clans in Konoha. I know one exists for almost every prominent clan because Sasuke and I talked about it once in regards to the loss of his family...'_

 _'It would've been nice to carry on the Uzumaki line. Or even just my last name, if not my blood. At this point though, I don't see myself with any man who would willingly accept that we couldn't have natural children together. And someday taking in a child dealing with a bad situation, maybe a child without a family like me... now that doesn't sound so bad.'_

 _'But Is it really fair to bring a young kid into a home without_ two _loving parents?'_

Well, I would've counted myself lucky to have even one parental figure.

Will Sasuke still be around then? Maybe he will have some cute kids of his own... and the kids I'll take care of could play with them.

I chuckled at the thought _. 'Lord knows if he ever woke up returning my feelings, he'd eventually be crushed not to have baby Uchiha's running around to resurrect the clan. I think that would crush me to watch him forfeit that dream.'_

Just as my thoughts practically ran full circle, I felt Sasuke shift on my lap as he was waking up.

"Getting enough beauty sleep there, princess?"

Sasuke blinked up at me as I hunched over his prone figure and giggled silently, earning a grunt and a swift punch to the front of my shoulder, the retaliation making us even.

At this moment, I realized that my fear about getting a random boner at any moment just because Sasuke was near me was kinda unfounded.

I mean, I am a teenager and I have hormones that are through the roof sometimes; but that doesn't mean I can't control it even if my libido does make an appearance. For now though, I was just relieved that Naruto Jr. was not thinking about the sexy Sasuke from that dream while the man himself has been knocked out on my lap.

Sasuke gets up and finds something else to do for awhile.

I on the other hand, just have so much energy to burn that being cooped up like this is not doing me any favors! Seeing as how it's only day one, that's probably not a good sign.

I spent a lot of time walking back and forth on the ship in slight frustration. Right before I dropped to the ground and started doing suicides for fun, Sasuke came over and instigated a couple rounds of taijutsu, which I was endlessly thankful for.

We skipped out on genjutsu, because while I definitely needed practice on even the basics in that department, that would wouldn't burn enough energy for me at the moment and we agreed that I would cease sitting still in the middle of the lesson. Also, ninjutsu would end with us completely destroying the ship we were currently riding on if we were to seriously spar here.

Sasuke practiced his kicks and I worked on my speed and evasion, keeping my arms in front of me to block and keeping light on my feet to dodge the blows. This really isn't so bad to be in such close proximity since Sasuke and I are relatively at ease again.

Eventually, someone called politely over the speakers that dinner was ready and being served in the deck below. A buffet was in place to feed the crew and guests and by then it was getting pretty late.

Some girls flirted with me during the meal, trying to share their desserts and steal the shrimp from my plate. I didn't think I was being that nice, but I couldn't bring myself to shut down their advances completely as they touched my biceps and shoulders and giggled, complimenting my appearance.

It made me annoyed that after the hotsprings fluke, I couldn't even think about what I'd normally do in this situation without feeling like it would be a betrayal to Sasuke. (And that is definitely not fair since we aren't even together!) But what got to me the most, was that Sasuke looked annoyed that these immature girls were all over me- even though he himself had never claimed interest. So, I spent an hour trading stories with them until my raven haired beauty of a friend looked like he was going to gag and finally delivered me from my predicament. Sasuke brought me something to drink as an excuse to interrupt us and stated that it was time for the two of us to go climb in bed, literally glaring the girls down as if to stake a claim over me. _Pssh. What claim?_

 _'Calm your desires, Naruto. You're reading too much into commonplace situations... Sasuke just really can't stand girls.'_ I tried to school myself and not blush as I followed him back to our cabin.

 _'Damn asshole sending mixed signals. Baka! I wish you'd open up about your personal desires with me...'_

While it is a relief that we have separate beds and I don't have to worry about Sasuke accidentally touching my morning wood when we sleep side by side... or _causing_ it because he sleeps as close to naked as a guy can get, I am already missing the closeness we've shared as I lay down quietly by myself in a bed just wide enough to allow a foot of space on either side of my shoulders.

That dream the other night really was so intense, I can't bring myself to regret the lost chance at having a threesome with those random strangers at the hot springs resort. Neither of them could measure up to Sasuke himself anyhow.

"Hey, Naruto?" Sasuke mumbles.

"Hmm?"

"These beds are too big... The blankets suck ass and it's freezing on this side. Can I sleep over there with you?"

Warily, I start to rebuke him, "Sas-" but I am immediately cut off by the cute raven in his underwear and socks as he kneels on his bed and stares at me expectantly.

 _'Sasuke that's not a good idea..'_ I think, but I keep my mouth shut as he speaks over the words I wanted to say.

"I'm not going to jump you. I've just gotten used to sleeping together and it's cold when I'm by myself..." The Uchiha phrases it to sound like the most logical thing in the world.

I sigh and pull back the covers.

 _'I'm so whipped.'_

Instead of making an attempt to stay at least a breath apart, Sasuke crawls under the sheets and lays on his front- dragging the blankets higher around our shoulders and draping one arm and shoulder over me as he wiggles in to get comfortable.

I want to groan and scream simultaneously.

 _'Why do you do this shit to me? Do you know how hard it is not to lean down and steal your kisses? To sweet talk my way into taking your innocence? Trading my dignity for some resemblance of temporary love from you? You do this shit and it doesn't mean near as much as it should- coming from you- and that is what hurts so much. And yet it feels so damn good, I want so much more than one arm draped haphazardly across my torso, you blind, arrogant and assuming bastard...'_

"Naruto?"

"H- hmm..?"

The noise sounds strangled and I have to really force out the response since I'm slightly choked up and completely at a loss.

 **Sasuke POV**

I've figured out that I'm attracted to Naruto. It's more than intrigue with his body or the thrilling potential of broaching a new dimension in our friendship-slash-relationship.

I've definitely got feelings for Naruto that go beyond Uchiha possessiveness. I do realize that Nar doesn't belong to me. It's more than just wanting to keep him closest to me out of some narcissistic belief that maybe I'm better than anyone else and he is better off staying with/ choosing me in turn.

For awhile I was concerned that I was being irrational in my attachment to him, but it's not as if I feel like he is some prize to win.

I really do care about him and I want him by my side because I trust him with my life.

He is the only one.

I'm really happy when we are together and I want to make him happy too. I want to see him smile and help him in all that he does so that his life will be nothing but prosperous and successful. I _desperately_ want to be the one he turns to in his lowest moments and the one that supports him in all his glory as he does great things in this life. There is no way this beautiful boy was not meant for great and amazing things.

I want to show him that I care. For him to know that I want and desire him in return. I am honestly kind of nervous the more I think about consummating any possible relationship, since Naruto is experienced and I'm probably going to seem like a bumbling idiot if he ever opens up on his own and gives me the chance.

Wanting to be closer to this amazing guy that I can't stop thinking about, I make up some lame excuse about being cold (which is totally true, even though I've been putting up with it for years because I'm not a sissy), and try to convince him to let me share his body heat.

I love sleeping next to him. I used to wake up from recurring night terrors, but when Naruto is around, I feel safe... as if I'll never have another one so long as he is by my side.

I know he has feelings for me and I'm not sure how to tell him they aren't one sided... so, I try to settle for the closest thing I know to cuddling. I stretch out next to him until my chin nearly rests against his shoulder and my arm is draped across him and it feels so great to be this close to Naruto.

A stray thought crosses my mind and suddenly I'm thinking about Naruto's morning wood. It's like clockwork; the moment dawn arrives, he is awake and slinking off somewhere to take care of himself. How the hell am I supposed to show him I'm serious about all this if he never gives me any openings?

Do I open my mouth and ask him if he wants to go all the way, because I'm entirely certain that he is the only thing in life that matters to me and I probably love him?

Do I kiss him suddenly and hope he understands that we could work out as a couple?

Oh hell. What the fuck do I know? The closest thing to a relationship I have aside from Naruto is a wasted four years of promising to kill my big brother who loves me so much he made a deal to spare my life. What the hell do I know about how relationships work?

Just going with how we normally act together, I try to keep my heartbeat steady and to not come across as uncool.

"Naruto?"

He jumps at the sound of my voice, his own cracks and I smirk- assuming it was simple nerves because he was so close to the object of his affections.

I wish I could kiss him because that noise was kind of adorable, but that would probably ruin everything and just confuse the blonde at this point.

"If you don't stop getting up at the asscrack of dawn, I will kill you. There is no way that you can't manage yourself for another hour or two instead of waking my tired ass up so that you can take care of your issues."

"Wh- what! Sasuke, it's not my fault if I gotta take a whiz in the mornings while _you_ prefer to sleep in..."

I sigh gently, but internally I am doing a victory dance complete with confetti because he sounds like he's been caught and we both know that nine times out of ten, Naruto's morning erection isn't because he drank water before bed.

I caught him one time, when I couldn't understand what took him forever to get back to the room and I wanted to talk about the mission since he was the reason I was awake anyhow.

He wasn't in the bathroom and he had been gone for over fifteen minutes... and I found the idiot on top of the building with his hand in his pants.

I was surprised, to say the least.

Something about the display intrigued me. It made me want to see if his blush would deepen and what noises he would make when he climaxed.

Eventually, Naruto relaxes against me in the bed. Even though I'm exhausted, and with my most important person finally next to me again my consciousness is slowly fading out, I still feel it when Naruto strokes my arm in slow, comforting movements as if to warm me up.

 **Naruto POV**

'He's selfish and doesnt want to be woken up in the mornings. But, oh man it's cute.'

His jade eyes are closed but his head is turned toward me; his chin practically resting on my shoulder as his breath fans my skin. I watch him with a silent longing that I can't quite conceal. All he'd have to do is open his eyes to see the storm of emotions parading through my heart and across my facial features.

At the same time however, I am thoroughly satisfied with the turn of events.

 _'I wish this could be for real. It's too bad he sees us as just really close friends. I wonder if we will stay this close, even when we go back to Konoha?'_ My thoughts trail off as I rub Sasuke's arm, and he doesn't remove the limb from it's apparent new residency across my body.

As our breathing evens out and we are both on the verge of sleep, Sasuke moves in closer and our legs rub together as he readjusts his head on my chest.

I blame my bad judgement on sleepiness, because instead of leaving it be, I gave into temptation and wrapped an arm around him before placing a featherlight kiss on the crown of his head. My heart was beating so fast that I couldn't tell if he was still awake or not, but he didn't yell at me or move in any way to indicate he noticed a change and within minutes I was asleep. I completely missed the adorable upward curl of Sasuke's lips as they stretched into a happy smile that even crinkled his eyes at the corners as he tried hard to calm his heartbeat and relax into the grasp of sleep instead of gushing like a girl the way he was inclined to do.

We spent a week on that ship where we settled fairly quickly into a steady pace of studying the principles on genjutsu and looking over the information we'd gathered on finding some old Uzumaki scrolls.

 **Sasuke POV**

When it came to teaching the dobe genjutsu, I would set a goal for Naruto and the blonde prodigy would usually surpass it. I was really happy to be able to help him learn at least the basics and I hoped it would stick. In battle, sometimes you need to utilize every technique at your disposal and Naruto knowing a solid variety could only tip the odds more in his favor.

It became a habit to share my routine with the dobe. Usually I would shower first, then Naruto, and we would brush our teeth together because it was faster and also it was hilarious to get him in the ribs and watch him drip frothy spit on his night shirts, making him sleep deliciously topless after a short argument.

In the mornings, I would make the bed and turn down the covers on both sides so that when we both got in it wouldn't feel weird. I made a point of welcoming myself into his bed and a few nights in, we both accepted it as a certain thing.

After that first night, I didn't consciously try to cuddle with Naruto and get him flustered because I was hoping that he would make a move on his own.

I guess we had gotten used to being so close that in the night we both moved towards the center of the bed and as a result, we always woke up with limbs tangled and draped over each other.

I didn't know I would be a cuddler, but it wasn't a _totally_ weird discovery for me...

 **Naruto POV**

The first morning we woke up together on the ship, I was so surprised. I forgot temporarily that we actually fell asleep basically holding each other. It was nice to wake up with my favorite person in my arms of his own volition.

It became routine after that to wake up touching or with one of us using the other as a makeshift-pillow in our sleep.

I got a bit of shock a few mornings in, when I opened my eyes to see mine and Sasuke's foreheads and noses touching closely just like that morning we woke up by the waterfall; I felt a surge of shock, love and lust all at once and it was so overpowering that made me want to wake Sasuke with a torrent of kisses, but it also made me afraid of what Sasuke would do if I did.

Embarrassed and scared that I might actually go for it and wake Sasuke up with a kiss like I wanted to... which just might result in the Uchiha knocking my head off, I barely have time to think before a child-like squeak escapes my mouth and I tear myself away from the sleeping beauty; rolling to the edge of the mattress and plunking to the floor before I could get a grip on myself.

Sasuke stretched out his arms and legs dramatically, "Ayunnh!"

He grunted before sitting up, supporting himself on one arm as the other fisted the sleep out of his heavy-lidded eyes. The blanket slid down to expose his shirtless chest and stomach and lo-and-behold _a fucking morning erection_ tenting both his boxers and the sheet!

 _There it is. Holy shit._

It's not my nine and a half inches but it has got to be at least seven or eight. At the moment, I don't have the presence of mind to feel bad for ogling my best friend as he just stares at me, curious.

"I'm sorry! Its just that we, ah-" I stumbled over my words trying to get them out, "It- it's just that when I woke up this morning, our lips were practically touching... again."

I quickly glance up at him and he looks nonplussed.

"You freaked out and woke me up because we almost kissed in our sleep? Seriously, you should have just moved your face or kissed me already and let it be."

The raven haired beauty flopped back on the bed and one arm was left dangling off. The index finger of that arm curled up a few times in a 'come here' motion before Sasuke spoke up. "You don't get to ruin my 'beauty sleep' and then keep me awake. Get back up here so that I can get some more shuteye, the sun isn't even fully out yet and I'm tired."

' _Yeah? Fuck. Well, I'm hard as a rock.'_

Obediently, but still with a bit of hesitation, I crawl back into bed and Sasuke turns away from me. I sigh in relief as our bodies don't touch and it makes it easier not to imagine myself trailing my fingers down his neck to play with his nipples and cup the hard member in Sasuke's pants that is so close to me right now...

I turn my back to him as well and fall into a fitful sleep where Sasuke was the one who'd had to slaughter his clan. He was banished from Konoha by the same elders who gave the order for the massacre, in effect, making my friend leave me for good.

As dream-Sasuke was telling me that I would become a great Hokage and that he would watch over me from afar as I created a better future and city for our people after getting rid of the toxins in our home _, I cried. Hard._

I was so emotional that it roused Sasuke when my shoulders would heave and I would unconsciously whine in need and trepidation. He curled up behind me, putting his hands on either shoulderblade as he called my name.

 **Sasuke POV**

" _Naruto_! Dobe, what's wrong?!"

Eventually, realizing he was still asleep I had to shake the blonde pretty hard to draw him into reality. The moment I managed to wake him he flipped around to stare at me and before I knew it, he was all over me.

His warmth was pinning me to the bed as his body shook and I knew he had a nightmare.

"You're alright now, Naruto. It's okay." I murmured, able to move my arms just enough to lightly stroke his tan back where his t-shirt had ridden up.

He choked out, "But It wasn't, Sasuke. You were _gone_ -"

Knowing he was too emotional to think straight and wasn't thinking about how this is not what friends usually do, (and also knowing how he felt about me- which weighed out in the end), I hoped he wouldn't be offended by my gesture as I dragged my arms out from under him and threw them around his neck, holding him tightly in broad daylight. It was really nice to be the one to comfort him, and it shocked me somewhat to see this level of reaction from him due to a dream where I had to leave him for some reason.

It made a swell of protective instincts rise up within me and I wanted to fight away all the nightmares that had ever terrified Naruto in that moment.

"Shh. You're not alone," I chanted, calmly. "I'm right here, Naruto."

The heavy and warm bundle in my arms eventually quit sniffling and for the first time since we started sharing a bed, he curled himself around me in the similar way that we always woke up together and laid his head on my chest. Feeling bold, I nuzzled his neck reassuringly as I dragged the sheets up higher around us.

After that, we exchanged smiles more often. Naruto was a little more physical; placing his hand on my shoulder and squeezing when he would walk by or ruffling my hair when I wasn't paying attention. He seemed happier after that incident, but he also quit rambling at the mouth like he had started doing again at the beginning of the mission. Now, he thinks before he speaks, and when he looks at me, he seems thoughtful.

I miss hearing his voice as he would go on and on when he got exited. This mature acting Naruto hasn't been doing that.

I frown at the thought.

'I can't seem to figure him out...'

 **Naruto POV**

"The ship will have made it to Getsuga Island in a few hours time, Naruto. We need to go pack our stuff together and prepare to disembark."

I look up from where I'm sharpening my kunai to see Sasuke standing before me, hands in his pockets and looking a bit off.

"You okay, Teme?"

"Yeah." He kicked his foot out aimlessly, scuffing the wood.

"Just ready to get off this shit-ride. It took forever to get here... I miss solid ground." He confesses.

After going over our maps and trying to pinpoint exactly where this family lived, we decided to just ask around until someone pointed us in the general direction.

I made sure that we were the first passengers to set our feet on the docks leading into town.

It was hilarious to watch Sasuke stiffen for a minute and then break out into a huge grin at being off that damned "shit-ride".

 _"HELL YES!"_ He adorably exclaimed.

I chuckled quietly, clapping him on the shoulder. "Man, I'm famished. I could sure use some grub right now. Can we eat first, Sasuke-" My raven haired friend held up his hand to cut me off, probably thinking I was going to spend an hour overstuffing myself and feeling too lethargic afterwards to do much actual digging and thus be useless, ' _Pssh. Please! Have you met me? When do I ever run out of energy?'_

I continue, laying it on as thickly as I can. "No no no no! I swear, Teme- I won't slow us down _at all_ , but I'm starving! You gotta feed me, _You just gotta_ , Sasuke!"

"Calm down, Usuratonkatchi," He looked around us for a moment, annoyance crossing his features briefly. "I was going to tell you that If I'm paying then I'm picking the meals _. Do those terms work for you_?"

He lifted his eyebrows at me in mock of my childish outburst and I pouted the entire time we walked around, looking for a venue that stood out to our hungry and searching gazes.

Agreeing on a tiny restaurant that served grilled seafood over noodles, we bumped into a sweet young woman barely older than ourselves. She was maybe in her mid-twenties, with a long blonde braid trailing down her back. However, what struck me the most was the resemblance of her features and my own... 'Am I just seeing things, or did we just hit the jackpot less than an hour in?'

 _"Naruto?"_

 **Sasuke POV**

Naruto's jaw goes slack mid-sentance and he looks like he'd seen a ghost, his eyes are glued to the retreating figure of an early shopper holding her basket of purchases.

I called his name a few times, but the guy was so out of it that I don't even know if he heard me or not. I flicked him hard upside the head and started walking off, "You're not getting any lunch from me if you keep spacing off, Dobe!"

"Waaah! Wait up- and hey.. that hurt, jackass!"

Lunch was pretty uneventful, except when I asked for a bite of the blonde's food and he complained and blushed because I stole the bite from his chopsticks instead of choosing a piece with my own from the bowl he pushed towards me.

 _'So what if my tongue 'accidentally' touched his chopsticks? It wasn't worth losing his composure and excusing himself to the restroom all flustered. I mean, come on! It wasn't like I coerced him into an actual tongue kiss..'_

 _'Actually, I wonder what it would be like to kiss Naruto like that? To kiss like adults and with a purpose... All of our other kisses were really just accidents with our faces smashed together more than anything. Would Naruto kiss me like that if I asked him to?'_ I mused.

I leaned back in my seat, interlacing my fingers together behind my head and stretching my legs out under the table. _'Nah, I can't ask Naruto something like that while knowing how he feels. Not until I can accurately tell him in so many words exactly what he means to me. Hell, he deserves at least that much for putting up with my sorry ass for all these years-'_

"Ahem."

The knucklehead in question was leaning against the opposite chair, hip jutted out a bit provokingly and his bare, tanned ankles were crossed as he stared me down. "It's nice to know that without my company you'd fall into a coma out of boredom. Can we pick up the check and get out of here? I have a good idea on where we can get a lead."

Letting him direct us through the throngs of noontime shoppers, my mission partner quickly singled out a stand and it's merchant- who surprisingly seemed to know exactly who Naruto was asking about.

"Quite a firey one, that ole miss. She moved here about ten years ago; takes good care of the sick. She tended to my youngest when he broke his ribs fooling around where he shouldn't have been." The older man looked us over with a keen eye and was prepared to direct us to the clinic she usually worked in at this time of day and leave us to it. However, Naruto seemed certain that she wasn't working today.

Trying to be subtle and get what we needed from the man without divulging the entire Uzumaki clan history out loud, I slip the man into a genjutsu (because it would just draw an unwanted sympathetic crowd that would make Naruto uncomfortable.).

I leave everything going on the same in the genjutsu as it is in the real world. So, basically Naruto and his expressions, the background noise of workers dumping seafood onto fresh buckets of ice- keeping them chilled for display, and letting him think he was still continuing to serve customers as I quietly explained that we were here on the Hokage's orders to see if a prominent clan was truly on the brink of extinction or not.

The look in his eyes softened towards Naruto and he gave me the address that we wanted.

Seeing an opening as I felt the presence of a family approach, I lifted the genjutsu so that he could not tell the difference in his lag of customers and we were outta there.

I almost wish I hadn't bothered with the effort. Almost.

Naruto isn't stupid and he knew exactly what happened. The idiot kept alternately pinning me with sly glances and bouncing on the balls of his feet as we made our way out into the countryside.

"Aww. Sasuuuuuuke! You are such a softie! Look at you being sensitive to someone else's situation! Kawaii!"

 _'Dobe, if you only knew how right you actually are for once..'_

One part of me regrets nothing and another equal part of me wants to either take it back or smash his face into the bark of a tree. Anything to cease his antics..

"Hey, I think this is it."

"Saaaasu-" he stopped mid-sentence for the second time today, looking down the slope to a homestead that looked oddly out of place.

"Oh, wow."

He looked at me uncertainly.

"Do you think they'll take kindly to being tracked down? Do... do you think they'll like me? What if they turn us down and think I messed up our legacy by being a jinchuuriki?"

"Naruto, no. You don't get to think like that today." I grab his large hand and squeeze gently. "Today is about happy reunions and the beginning of a prosperous future for your clan. This is about a solid chance to resurrect the Uzumaki lineage and they would be crazy to turn us away. Even if they don't feel inclined to divulge a lot about the history of Uzumaki scrolls and their techniques or if they don't want to come to Konoha and live in the village you will someday be the guardian of... you can still make bonds here. _You are not the last of your people, and that in itself is amazing. You. Are. Amazing._ So it's going to work out just fine. Got it?"

Naruto squeezed back infinitely tighter, while gazing at our destination with his pink bottom lip pulled between his teeth.

He finally let go of my hand and gave me a shy smile that made my breath catch.

"Yeah. Thank you, Sasuke." He said quietly.

We ventured across a large grassy clearing before we came across the large single story home. It was gorgeous up-close and looked like it was built not by carpenters from a hired company, but by the family themselves that lived there. There were huge rocks and boulders that were sanded and eroded down to fit perfectly together and a paste between them that felt like it was made with chakra woven in as some type of warding spell.

I was tempted to touch it, but I didn't want to test out the theory and startle the inhabitants. That would _not_ get us off to a good start. In contrast to the grey outer walls, the roofing looked to be thatched from recycled reeds; likely covering some sort of support beams, as the roof was rounded out and quite high. On it's own, the roof looks to be a solid twelve feet or so.

The front of the house sported a large rounded door and to one side there was a small set of three long, horizontally connected windows- maybe chest height. They were gorgeous because of the tiny individual pieces of glass in different colors and shapes that were fitted together. I've heard of stained window glass before, but I'd never seen anything like it in person until now.

On the other side of the door was one large bay window. It was easily taller than me and spanned about seven feet across. From outside, the entire abode seemed a bit mix-matched, but it was still radiant nonetheless.

Together, we knocked on the door and waited to see if our effort would come to fruition.

Suddenly, a little redheaded boy about ten years old wearing a dirty outfit that looked to once be... green?- popped his head around the corner of the house. Looking right at us, he waved and hollered, "Da! C'mere a minute!"

 **To be continued... xXx**


	8. A Family of Their Own

_A/N: Hello again!_ _I am back and this story **is not on hiatus**. It felt like we needed to clear that up. With no more delay, here it is! Hand-delivered sugary sweetness for your pleasure! The boys deserve a bit of a break, right?! Right! ;)_

 _See you with the next chapter!_

 _Ja ne!~_

* * *

The young child that greeted us outside his doorstep turned out to be quite the talkative character. His guardian... well, not so much.

"Hi there! Who are you guys? No one comes around here much. Did you come to see mama? I'm Souji! What are your names?"

His father appeared not a second later and looked us over warily.

He guided Souji to stand behind him and straightened his posture, radiating tension out of every pore as he kept one giant hand on the boys shoulder.

"Introduce yourselves. Why have you come here?"

The man didn't look frightened, or defensive; on the contrary, he came across as being fully in control of the situation. As his body language shifted, his broad shoulders and muscled arms were brought to our attention. This man was confident and capable, and he would not be taking any shit from outsiders unless they had damn good intentions concerning his home and kin.

 **Sasuke POV**

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke," I stated, inclining my head as I did so, "I am a Chunin shinobi of the Village Hidden In The Leaves."

 _'I really want this meeting to go in Naruto's favor...'_

Looking over at my quiet companion, I cock a dark brow in his direction and silently goad him into introducing himself. He stands there for a minute with pink cheeks looking back and forth between his feet and the older man before opening his mouth, his hands curling and uncurling around the hem of his shirt.

 _'You can do this, Naruto!'_

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto... Chunin shinobi of the Village Hidden In The Leaves," He says softly, once again biting at his swollen lip. "We have been sent on a mission by the Godaime Hokage to track down lost members of the Uzumaki clan and make a sincere effort to regroup and restore them to their paramount glory..."

The dobe cleared his throat and a confident aura overtook him suddenly. He tried once more, in earnest. "I am looking for surviving members of _my_ clan... to reunite us and offer a permanent home in Konoha where we can live happily together."

 _'I am so proud of you Naruto. Don't ever give up on your hope and courage...'_

"The two of you sure are far from home. I could've sworn that lineage was extinct; nations from all over were said to have a hand in the clan's genocide. It was because they were growing far too powerful, ne? Would they not have become restless and tried to overthrow other leaders and governments for control?"

I flinched before I could stop myself and the man leveled his gaze at me. The way he phrased the latter hit a little too close to home for me.

"Uchiha, huh? Looks like the two of you have a bit in common..." He scrubbed his face.

"I'm real sorry for your losses."

Stepping to the side so that Souji was no longer hidden, the buff blonde spoke in a soothing tone, "My name is Hiroshi. Seeing as you are so far from home, you are welcome to stay here for the night." He looked down and ruffled his son's hair affectionately.

"Wahoo! Daddy! Can they sleep in the loft with me tonight? _Pleeeease_?"

He looked towards the two of us then, and oh man, did he remind me of a younger Naruto.

I had to bite back a grin.

"You guys can totally bunk with me! - Momma can make us some awesome soup! We can have snacks and tell stories! _Oh_! I bet you guys have seen _all kinds_ of places-"

"Excuse you," Hiroshi lightly reprimanded, grabbing the adorable redhead's chin and tilting his head upwards to meet his powder blue gaze, "They're not going to disappear suddenly like apparitions. Cool your lid, son. You have the entire evening to get acquainted."

Said child just looked back and forth between us and shrugged, offering a sheepish grin.

"I gotcha, dad."

 **Naruto POV**

It was great that these people received us warmly, but I was really disappointed at Hiroshi's reaction to the fact that we were searching for the Uzumaki's.

I guess I had been expecting knowledge to flare in his eyes and an excitement to match my own upon the news that I was kin to his family. However, it was pretty much clear that the man either wasn't related to me, or he was, and he didn't know it.

When Souji explained that the two of them had been harvesting vegetables for their evening dinner, I felt terrible for interrupting them.

"Ne, Teme?" I looked to the curious raven who had stepped back and was digging through one of our bags. "It really wouldn't be too much trouble if we helped our hosts finish up their evening gardening, would it?"

In return for our labor, Hiroshi promised to bribe his wife to fix Sasuke a special plate of tomatoes. According to Souji, she had a secret recipe that was 'to-die-for'. I could tell that Sasuke was almost salivating at the promise as he dug into the soil and gently unearthed the crops with such focus that a fourth Great Shinobi War wouldn't have roused him.

After cleaning up both ourselves and the vegetables, we rolled up the cuffs of our pants and took a walk down to the beach. I couldn't help but smile the entire time, the family setting really burrowed into my heart and tugged all my emotions to the surface.

 _'Maybe that is what it would've been like to have grown up with a father?'_

I looked up at my companions and the sight made me chuckle. Sasuke looked pretty miffed to be confronting the water again so soon. His eyebrow twitched every couple of seconds as we began our trek to the beach, but I do love water and Souji was so thrilled; I couldn't decline his request that we all go together.

The kid's happiness truly was infectious.

Before I knew it, we were attempting to build sandcastles with only our hands and chakra. I've never actually done this, but as my chakra control is better than Souji's is, I quickly gained the upper hand.

When I felt the castle was almost finished, a mud ball came flying from out of nowhere and landed on the perimeter, rolling right through it! The offending object had been thrown with enough force to break the chakra bonds and return it into a heap of boring old sand.

 _"Damn it!"_ I yelled.

I looked up, whipping my head from side to side, looking for Sasuke. "What the heck did ya do that for, huh?"

A soft giggling erupted from just behind my shoulder and as I turned around, both Sasuke and Souji had a large pile of mud that they'd dragged over from the tree line and the boys were in the process of compacting it into suspicious little spheres.

"Oh no, you don't!"

I shadow cloned myself into three boys with matching mischievous expressions and aimed for Sasuke, wanting to tackle him and bury him under the sand for his involvement in my sandcastle's destruction.

Quick and sly as ever, the raven snatched up his mud balls and ran, looking over his shoulder as he went.

"Ha!" I hear the triumph in his voice as a clod was aimed perfectly at my foot.

Tripping over the hard misshapen clump of mud, I came to a rolling stop, tumbling feet over shoulders as my momentum slowed.

Graceful as ever, I landed with my face in the dirt and my rear stuck up in the air- I knew instantly that a target might as well have been sported over the seat; white trousers, or not.

I cried out in agony as a hard packed ball of mud was thrown at me and made contact with my muscled ass cheek. Maybe it helped that I wasn't clenching, but.. ' _good lord what would posses someone to be that rough with my ass?'_

After a brief pause, I sniffled and fell on my side, being a bit over-dramatic but not willing to let it go.

 _"Et tu Brute?"_

The high pitched peals of laughter at my display made me open my eyes and my heart skipped a beat at the sight. I love it when Sasuke smiles, but at this moment in time, he is positively crying with hilarity. I tried my best to memorize this side of Sasuke as he dropped to the ground a few feet away and clutched his stomach, the giggling still tearing through his lanky frame.

I smiled at the way his eyes crinkled while they were shut. Tears leaked down regardless, and the way I could actually see both of his sharp canine teeth that stood out from all the rest, pearly and straight- oh man!

It was too adorable.

My heart pounded harder as he clutched at himself and I wanted to touch him too.

What shocked me a even more was when he snorted and opened his mouth next, "Ha, Dobe!" Sasuke wheezed, "I totally nailed you! Hahahah-"

My jaw dropped. " _Are you kidding me_? That was, like, the lamest pun ever!"

I rolled over and straddled his hips, taking advantage of him as I gave my best effort at tickling his sides.

"Why do you gotta be such a bastard all the time, huh?" I chuckled as Sasuke started gasping for air. When his laughter almost became silent and his face grew red I released him and sat back a bit, bringing my hand up to my mouth, as if in thought, though I already knew I was about to get payback.

After a moment of searching for Souji, I winked at him and inquired, "What do you say we bury Sasuke in the sand as a punishment for being such a twerp?"

 _"Aww yeah!"_ Souji squealed.

I barely get to look back down in time to keep my eye on the raven so he wouldn't get away before the kid was crouched down and digging in the sand like crazy, sand flying freaking everywhere.

Digging a place to stuff this shapely body, I presume.

When I finally met my most beloved's gaze, his eyes were alight with humor and a smirk danced on his lips... Lips I desired to lean down and steal a taste of...

Watching his mouth, I unconsciously dipped in closer and caught sight of a pink muscle peaking out between Sasuke's lips and-

"Naruto! Are you even listening?"

Changing my intent, I lean down hurriedly and whisper, "You earned it, Teme!", before I flash stepped and dropped him into the hole meant for his body.

He was laughing the whole time.

 **Sasuke POV**

It was a hilarious sight to see, and man, how I do like fucking with the handsome blonde. I rarely get to act like the youth I am unless I'm around Naruto, so sometimes, instinct calls and I can't help myself.

 _'I nailed him in the ass..'_

It was totally worth it, even when they buried me and added small breasts atop my sand coffin.

We didn't get into the water, thank Kami. However, we did tell stories about our days of being genin as we watched the sun go down.

Using a burst of chakra, I exploded the sand off of me and showered the two culprits, watching as they laughed and sputtered. It got precariously close to setting before Souji perked up again and guided us home so that we could meet his mother.

A relieved, " _Souji_!" met us at the door as a young blonde scooped the boy into her arms as we crossed the threshold. He giggled.

"Mama, you _worry_ too much!"

The woman nuzzled their noses together and Hiroshi just shook his head from where he was sitting behind her. "Quite the contrary, my boy. I've just missed you."

She was a true beauty with a tiny nose and a smattering of freckles across it. Her hair was also quite long, and was braided in a single plait down her back.

"Sweetheart, we have guests..."

Though she smiled through the pleasantries, her eyes were sharp as she appraised us. Her gaze lingered over Naruto for a few moments before she released her redheaded son and shook our hands.

"You may call me Yuna. Why don't we get dinner started before we die of hunger, hmm?"

As she began to prepare ingredients for the meal, we told her about why we came and I tried really hard not to simply stare at the tomatoes on the counter. I haven't had the pleasure of eating any since we left the village. They are so damn expensive to buy in markets these days... not that it matters, of course.

"So, Naruto. Where are your parents?"

Oh, shit.

I snapped my neck over to where Naruto was sitting, but he didn't flinch back from her question, answering it in a steady manner, "I'm an orphan. Nobody I've talked to in the village seems to remember anything about them. I do know my ma had red hair.. but that's all I could really tell ya about it."

A smile crosses my features before I can help myself.

 _'You're so strong, Naruto.'_

I'm proud of him for not getting upset at the direction that the conversation seems to be headed. Pulling out the scroll with our Hokage's seal, I hand it to her as she wipes her hands clean and shoots me a knowing look.

Sitting at the table next to the dobe, we exchange glances and I reach under the tablecloth for his hand to squeeze.

"Your Godaime speaks highly of the Uzumaki for their abilities with fuinjutsu. You said that the borders would be open to any new Uzumaki's that were looking to settle down and rebuild the clan? That does sound nice.. but what if your people move there and after reaping the benefits, your leader tries to eradicate us?"

"That's something you'll never have to worry about! Grandma Tsunade is a trustworthy person, with a huge heart and honest intentions. She would never hurt anyone innocent-"

"...Wait a minute, ma'am... you said 'us', meaning that... _you're my kin_?" Naruto said softly, looking astonished.

Wistful, she allowed herself a small smile, "Indeed I am." Yuna sighed, before returning the mission scroll and setting our plates in front of us.

"Boys? Come eat," she called.

Dinner was over quickly, with only Souji's exited chatter to warm the atmosphere. As soon as all the dishes were in the sink, his mother sent him off to bathe and give us a few moments away from innocent ears.

"Alright, let me explain. I was born in Uzushiogakure. My mother died during childbirth and I didn't have a father, so I grew up an orphan, passed between homes. When I was 6, I was invited to a home where they sheltered me and kept me close at hand for about ten years. Back then, the couple had been passing through the town when the woman called me out on my 'beauty' and offered food and warmth to me, needless to say, I accepted that which I thought was kindness from her. To my perpetual disappointment, I was treated like a guest and not one of the family... a bargaining chip, if you will. Her husband was a gambler and just as quick as he would make a small fortune, he would lose it all again. I suppose if it came to the worst scenario she could have loaned my body out for pay, but alas.. Anyhow, my best friend growing up was Hiroshi," she gestured to her husband across the table, "and I had fallen in love with him during the time I stayed in their small village."

I watched as Naruto's unblinking eyes glazed over at the thought of someone else growing up an outsider, just like him. Finally falling in love with her childhood friend. Just like him (us). His grip on my hand tightened as I returned my attention to Yuna.

"-Right before I turned sixteen, I became pregnant and was frightened, with no idea of what to do. When I told my guardians, they decided to schedule an abortion. Upon their lashing out, they also revealed to me that I was to be sold to a rich Lord from the Land of Void as his bride, since the couple was in a deep debt.

That couldn't happen if I was laden with another man's child, and because no one else wanted the man due to terrible rumors of his cruelty.. my 'family' saw it as a fortuitous opportunity. Terrified, I ran away and dragged Hiroshi with me. While we were traveling, we heard many rumors and came across men who wanted to cart me back to that couple for the promise of a reward once I was married off. It took us until after my son was born to find a place to stay where we could relax and use our given names again. Thank Kami, my husband was once a shinobi and with his protection we made it safely here... we have never left this place since."

It struck me then, just how brave and true to themselves the Uzumaki are.

Hiroshi scratched the back of his neck ruefully as he looked us in the eyes.

"I'm real sorry for lying to you kids. But it was some weird questions you was asking and after going through all manner of people in my day, I don't take to trusting many folks with their intentions right off the bat. It wasn't my place anyhow to be telling you about the lady's business. You understand," he apologized.

 **Naruto POV**

After trading brief stories about some of the happier moments in our lives, Hiroshi and Yuna finally decided it was time for bed, against the wishes of a clearly drowsy ten year old who wanted to stay up and keep talking with us.

The days passed by in peace. Nights spent discussing what was going on back in the village and whether or not we should extend our mission a little longer. Sasuke rarely left my side and I'll admit, I've been thinking about confessing to him.

Things are going well lately, I imagine even in a worst case scenario- were I to get rejected, I'm sure we could stay friends and work through it. But I don't really think he would reject me anymore. He may not understand his feelings himself but what we have now feels as much like a relationship as anything else I have ever known.

I am content. One evening after Sasuke and I have our dinner outside near the water, we come home as the sun sets just in time to catch Yuna as she was putting her evening knitting project away.

We parted ways for the night, before Sasuke and I wet into the loft and propped open the makeshift roof window that Souji told us about in confidence.

Rebellious as _I_ ever was, at the young age of ten, the redheaded boy desired to wander around under the stars at night in much the same way. Sneaking out of the house added to the thrill of a glistening night sky, I guess.

Sasuke hummed in appreciation and moved about to clean up our things into a neat organized area now that we could see well enough without a candle. In one corner there lay a pile of clean furs draped over a thin mattress.

"It is kind of her to let us stay here with such accommodations. Souji is even letting us use his room. I never expected to be practically welcomed into the family like this," I murmur softly.

Indeed that's what happened.

When Hiroshi showed skepticism about the leader that would come after Tsunade, whether they would continue to better the village or turn into someone like Danzo, I fought tooth and nail to make them believe that I am going to be the next Hokage.

 _\Whatever it takes. I will always keep my people safe and protected._

I turn to Sasuke who regards me intently as he strips down to the bare minimum and stretches out on the furs.

"What's that look all about?" I ask, my head tilting to one side and my hands beginning to feel slightly sweaty. I slide my gaze away from the temptation that is taut porcelain skin interrupted by nothing but a tiny stretch of onyx cloth- just long enough to pull my shirt over my head and try to steady myself. Striding quietly to the bedding to join the raven, I have to make a conscious effort to keep my breathing and pace steady with his gaze still settled on me. I gently release a sigh and lean down to crawl across the furs.

As I move to get comfortable, Sasuke mimics my posture, facing me with his head propped up on his palm.

"What are you thinking about?"

Trying to relax with my emotions all riled up and the intoxicating scent of Sasuke infiltrating my nose, I know I'm not going to be calming down anytime soon. "- I'm thinking that this feels like being included into a family I never knew," I roll onto my back and lace my digits behind my head, "They're alive, Sasuke! There are still Uzumaki members alive here, and there could potentially be so many more.. I don't know what to do with myself, knowing that I'm not alone- Ouchhh!"

I rubbed my side where Sasuke gave me a good jab and winced.

"What the hell was that for, bastard?"

" _Stupid Usuratonkachi_ , You haven't been alone in a very long time. I'm right here aren't I? I'm family too.. don't forget about me so easily! Stupid baka.." The raven peered at me with wide eyes that reminded me of a predator.

I swallow down the hard lump in my throat.

 _'H_ _e really does care about me.. it's not a fantasy.'_

Blushing, I can't help but feel a rush of pleasure at his words, nor can I do anything about the small grin stealing its way across my face. _'_

 _'I'll never forget about you, Sasuke. I promise. I love you too much.'_

Sneaking an innocent look at him, I find that he's still looking intently at me and _oh shit, I know I'm in trouble_.

I responded with _that_ look.. and he probably saw it... _and oh, shit._ However, the cocked brow Sasuke had been sporting smoothed out and his facial features took on a far gentler expression than I expected. His eyes held something so soft and warm that the butterflies in my stomach felt like a storm keeping me immobile, trapped in a sea of my own emotions.+

" _Naruto_?"

The soft puff of sweet air barely carried my name but it was enough to make me feel like time had stopped right then and there. Unable to tolerate the pleading in his voice, I want so bad to tell him. Such a simple statement yet something that would inevitably turn our worlds inside out... I'm tired of being scared of a rejection that may never come.

Just before I can ground my determination and try to express myself through quivering lips, Sasuke reaches out for me and my breath catches in my throat, betraying my intentions.

The look in my beloved's gaze is so steady and sure that I'm mesmerized at the sight. His warm hand caresses my abdomen before sliding further up, over a pink nipple to rest on my chest and in one gorgeously fluid motion his other hand is on the pillow next to my head as he partially hovers over me, only a breath away.

 _"I..."_

It is everything I've ever wanted.

My heart soars out of my chest at the sight of those gentle eyes so full of warmth focused completely on me and I could cry in joy, but with those perfectly pale bow shaped lips so close to mine, all I can think is that the tiniest tilt of my head would seal our first real kiss..

* * *

 _ **To Be Continued...**_


	9. Tipping point

**Author's Note:** Alright you guys! I went through this story and tweaked some of the wording, but the story content has not changed much AT ALL. The plot remains as it was. I just felt that a few adjectives were overused and some scenes were not carrying well enough. Just letting you all know in case you read back through and things sound off. I love you guys! Let me know if there's anything I can add before the story is over to cater to your yaoi feels! Let me know how I'm doing or what you feel is missing in this fic so far!

 _Side note_ :: K.X.R is having a hard time getting anything good written. It seems like I cannot some up with anything good unless I'm in the middle of falling in love with something / someone, or I'm falling apart. I guess I'm learning to hold myself together too well, no? My point is, please bear with me as I try to find inspiration to pack this story with badass action, emotion and smut that will fit the high standards you hopefully began The Will Of Fire with. I love you all.

Ja Ne!~

* * *

Climbing the wooden ladder to his loft bedroom where the Hidden Leaf ninjas are staying, Souji tries to be quiet so as not to wake up his ma. It wouldn't do to get a scolding and be embarrassed in front of these cool new boys. Real friends! He hopes Sasuke or Naruto will take the time to teach him neat stuff before they leave to continue their journey; maybe he could grow up to be a ninja too!

Getting halfway up the ladder, he audibly catches the boys cursing at each other before the taller one tells Naruto that he is his family too and to not forget about him.

This interests Souji. He thought they were boyfriends because they held hands, but Sasuke says they are family.

'That's kinda weird.'

In his haste, the boy caused the ladder to groan and creak as he scrambled up the last five steps.

 **Sasuke POV**

He is warm and willing under me, and I am so ready. I want this sweet blonde so much I can taste it.

 _'I'm in love with you; I'm dying to tell you. I'm dying to show you.'_

 _"Naruto..."_ I breathe out, gently.

My heart is thundering inside of me.

I am half afraid that this is a perfect dream and if I am not careful, I will lose the gentle passion rising between us. That he will dissappear from this moment with me in a plume of smoke.

 _'Naruto, please.'_

Boldly, I lean over him; caressing his lightly tanned abdomen and up higher; steadying myself with one arm on the pillows.

 _'Touch me, Naruto'_ , I plead silently, _'I need you so badly.'_

Naruto's hot gaze drills into me, spiking my temperature and his easy grin is infectious. I am thrilled in this moment. I lean in closer, watching his mouth intently as those pale lips slightly part...

 _"I-"_

I miss out on the rest of that statement as the ladder to our private sanctuary rattles and scares the piss out of us- ( _two chunin who are capable of kicking ass and who shouldn't be scared of anything, really!_ ).

We break apart, guilty as hell that we are on the verge of christening a poor childs bedroom. The two of us are quite telling. With flushed faces, Naruto is trying to regain his breath and my wits have been scattered to the winds.

A moment later, a disheveled mop of red hair appears over the ledge of the room and peers in at us.

"What are you guys doing?" Souji asks slowly, he sounds hesitant like he thinks we are going to get mad at him, but instead I chuckle and exhale.

"Not too much; just addressing issues that need attention," I respond, draping a fur blanket over both mine and Naruto's... ahem, standing issues... and dragging the back of my fingers over his pulsing member while Souji's eyes drift arond the room.

 _'Hah! It is definitely not just me!'_

 **Naruto POV**

Souji walked over to the ceiling opening to peek at the starlit sky, meanwhile Sasuke pulled up a fur to cover our straining erections.

He grazes my length leisurely before his hands retreat.

I jolt up in surprise and try to calm down, glaring at my best friend for being unnecessarily friendly. How can he do that while we have company?!

 _'Smug bastard!'_

Sasuke smirked upon this confirmation but it just sent me spiralling into agony, with a sharp intake of breath I stifle a moan and squirm, punching him squarely in the bicep.

Clearing my head a little, I divert my attention to Shouji, "Why are you up so late, buddy? I thought you and your momma hopped into bed awhile ago."

"I fell asleep at first, but dad snores! I don't know how mom sleeps in the same room as him."

Sasuke grinned and reached up to ruffle my hair and snickered. "It's not so bad. When you _really_ love someone, the little things like snoring or obnoxious catch phrases or anything else grow on you. Believe it," Sasuke looked at me then, and with a sheepish grin he grasped my hand and squeezed.

"Your mom seems to love Hiroshi very much-," I didn't hear what came next. The air in my throat vaporized instantly and the sound of blood began rushing though my ears.

 _'_ Wait _, WHAT?'_

'That couldn't have been what he meant. Did he say that he loves me?.. No. No way. He surely doesn't mean it the way I do... _does he?_ '

I stare at Sasuke's profile as the boys talk for awhile longer. For the rest of the conversation nothing stood out to me, except for Souji asking us to train him to be a ninja. I'm pretty sure Sasuke agreed to discuss it with his mother, but that we couldn't promise anything.

My head is swimming with vivid images and emotions and I can't contain them all at once. I feel drowsy and lightheaded and I'm ready to lay down, part of me is so stunned that I want to curl into Sasuke and deal with this huge revelation tomorrow.

 _'Sasuke might actiually love me! This is what I've wanted for years and suddenly it's sitting in my lap...'_

I bow my head and clutch Sasukes' hand tighter between mine, running a calloused thumb over the scars on his knuckles.

With blurry vision and a racing mind, I consider that he has loved me for awhile now. For some time it was as friends and rivals; displayed every time he went out of his way to take care of me like he never has for anyone else, not even Sakura.

I remember the time he came by with a huge blanket and made me hot soup when it was storming outside. Hail had damaged my window and soaked my covers. I moved my bed to the other end of the room, and depressed, I huddled in the wet mess for what felt like hours until Sasuke mysteriously showed up and led me to the couch. He stayed with me overnight to make sure I didn't catch hypothermia. We sat in silence until the storm passed and I fell asleep; he even cleaned up the broken glass and had my window replaced not long after.

A long ago memory of me as a young kid getting roughed up simply for existing replayed through my mind as well.

A quiet boy with beautiful dark tresses came to my rescue. To keep from embarrassing me entirely, he started spouting off excuses that no one was allowed to rough up his teammate but him as he chased the bullies away.

Quiet though he generally was, Sasuke made an effort to make me laugh after the rescue by telling me an embarrassing story of what he once caught one of the ignorant, hateful children doing.

It made me feel so much better not to be alone.

I think of how he confided secrets to me down at the lake when we would find ourselves drawn there at night, where we would watch the stars together. How he has never been this way with anyone else. Not Sakura, Kakashi or any other living soul. Except maybe Itachi...

 _'Sasuke loves me.'_

'Damnit!'

He looks over at me again, concerned. I rarely ever cry but I can feel it coming now, and not a moment too soon Souji starts yawning. Immediately taking the opening, Sasuke sends him to bed with an assurrance that we will not vanish without letting him know. My heightened hearing catches that Souji has jumped down the last few steps and landed with a thud and I let out a small sob.

Warm, wet droplets fall onto our clasped hands.

I lean into Sasuke as shudders wrack my body. Strong muscular arms pull me in tight and hot air passing through perfect lips caress my ear, "Naruto, whats wrong?"

Sliding my arms around his neck, I bury my face into his bare chest and let go.

All the feelings of not being good enough, the fear of rejection, the sheer amount of affection that I have felt for Sasuke for the last nearly five years. It feels like a faucet has been turned on and I can't stop purging the bottled up emotions from my system. A ridiculously heavy weight has lifted off my shoulders and my breathing comes easier as I chuckle through the tears.

"Sasuke, I probably knew it long before tonight, but it sounds so good coming directly from you."

I look up at him with shining eyes and tears clinging to my lashes but right now I don't give a damn if I look like a mess, I'm crazy about this shinobi and he feels the same way I do.

I have never felt so elated.

"I'm sorry I haven't said so before now. I wanted to make sure I could tell you exactly how I felt before I opened my mouth. I didn't want you to feel as though I left you hanging." Sasuke nuzzled against me a moment before continuing.

"I want you to know I'm more sure about this than I have been about anything else in my life. Naruto, I'm in love with you. You make me so happy and I honestly need you. I swear I cannot get enough of you. I want to be so much more than just your teammate and your friend. You make me feel incredibly at ease when I'm stressed out and I want to pack up and leave Konoha; and then you do these crazy things to my insides whenever you smile, whenever you touch me."

"The little noises you make sometimes that sound so out of place, my god, they fucking turn me on like you wouldn't believe." He fisted a hand into my hair and pulled, smirking.

Sasuke pulled back and caught my chin between his thumb and forefinger, connecting our gaze.

"It's like you can always read my mind. You save me from insanity sometimes. You know how to catch me when my thoughts get too dark and you point me towards the light. I don't want to go back to the nights sleeping alone; wondering what you're doing. I can't even sleep without you now... Naru, I want you. All of you. In return you can have me forever. I promise I'll stay faithfully by your side and support you as you become Hokage and we figure out life together. We will resurrect your clan together."

"You're the only person that can make me feel nervous, you know it? I'm anbu, I'm not supposed to get nervous. You drive me _crazy_!"

He began running his fingers through my hair, massaging my scalp.

"Naruto. I need you so much. I am so sorry for all the hurt I put you through this summer. I promise to never shut you out again. I don't want to ever be without you, and I swear on my parent's graves, I will never abandon you. "

He brushes my long bangs out of my face before he lets out a shaky breath, "I've never felt this way about anyone. I swear to Kami, sometimes these feelings for you start eating me inside out and it's terrifying, I've never felt so strongly about anything, let alone anyone before, but swear I've never been as glad to be alive as when we're together. You make me so happy. I want you to be mine, Naruto. Please, say yes. I've felt so strongly about you for so long... I'm just sorry it took me forever to put a name to it until now. It's true, Naruto. I love you so, so much. I don't want you to look at anyone else, to touch them or want them. I want all of your attention. To be the reason behind all of your happiness. You are my light, Naruto. I love you."

He finishes his speech with hope and regret in his eyes. Regret for what? The time we spent beating around the bush?

' _Well, then. Me too._ '

I lean forward until our foreheads are touching and sigh quietly, contentedly.

"This is way more than I ever expected from my emotionally constipated best friend. For you to confess to me like this is a dream come true," I chuckle ruefully. "I have been crazy about you since we were twelve and went on our first "D" ranked mission together outside Konoha. Do you remember that tiny fox you rescued from a hunters trap? Oh, Kami... Seeing your sweet and gentle side melted my heart that day."

I try not to blush in the dark, knowing just how good Sasuke's eyesight is and my darkened skin helps hide the slight embarrasment I feel. He needs to know how I feel though, so I will not stop now.

"With you it's always been easier. Easier to deal with the hard blows life delivers. Easier to deal with the lonliness. Easier to be myself; because you have never seen me as just a jinchuuriki. With you, I was able to be a _regular guy_ as your teammate and rival. I will always cherish our memories together and how you were there for me."

"I love how patient and stubborn you are." I drag the pad of my thumb across his chest over his heart, "and as obsessed with you as I always was, for some reason you never ran from me like you did the others. You gave me the chance to know you. You have driven me crazy, and you have driven me to try harder to achieve my goals. You've done more for me than you know. From broken bones when I couldn't move and you carried me, to broken hearts with Jiraiya's passing and just being alone in the world- we have shared it all. Being an outsider growing up because we were seen as just titles: 'the surviving prodigy Uchiha and the prank pulling tailed beast rentainer'..."

I press the palm of one hand over his heart, "I love you, Sasuke. You have showed me a side to yourself you've never offered to anyone else and while I've always been shunned by others, you still stayed. You made it so easy to be with you. All your possessiveness and quirks included. You've accepted both me and Kurama... Everything you do shows me how much you care. You believe in my dedication to become hokage and are prepared to support me in that lifelong goal; if that doesn't shout commitment, I don't know what does. Hell, Sasuke, you love me even though I cannot give you natural children to restore the Uchiha clan; and that will burn in me as long as I live."

 _"Naru-"_ My onyx eyed lover chokes out, and I pull my hand back meeting those cloudy orbs that seem to see straight into my soul... oh my, _I could get lost in you, Sasuke_...

"Don't stop."

He presses the flat of my palm against his chest again and I allow my fingers to explore. They dance up his insanely soft neck and tangle in his hair. I slide my other hand back down and caress his shoulder, rubbing tiny circles as I go. _'I could touch you forever...'_

His soft hair tickles my skin as he kisses the crook of my neck and shoulder where he then rests his forehead.

I continue, "I adore how playful you can be in the mornings, how you understand me and my logic even when I'm at my most scatterbrained. It meant so much to me that you would share your nights at the lake with me when that used to be something you only did with your nii-san... For so long, I felt like I was betraying you by having deeper feelings and desires towards you, while you were just being a good friend," I shudder.

"Dreaming about a future with you used to hurt. I thought you were asexual, honestly. I was too scared of rejection and losing our relationship as friends to speak up and even try. But not anymore. I've always loved you, and I will endeavor not keep secrets from you again. I should've known we would work through it and be fine, just like we always are. As it stands, I am never going to let you go once I've sunk my teeth in, so I hope you're ready for that, Sasuke."

 **Sasuke POV**

Leaning into his caresses feels perfectly natural to me. I angle my head from the crook of his neck to capture one wrist and place another kiss there, before pulling him down to the mattress with me.

"I think we deserve to be happy, Naruto." I say softly.

My blonde boyfriend crawls over me to lay on my chest and we remain that way for the rest of the night. Long legs tangled together; beating hearts in sync. I can feel his smooth chest against mine as he nuzzles my collarbone and relaxes against me.

I wrap my arms around him and we lay like that, reminiscing about the past and what we felt for each other at those specific moments.

The next morning, Naruto was the last to wake up, meandering downstairs to find breakfast cooked and an extra plate set out for him. He laid his hand comfortingly on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze before sitting down and quietly listening to Yuna discuss our plans for the day.

I made sure I would have enough time to get her advice on how to make tonight perfect for Naruto. It's not every day that my boyfriend turns eighteen!

"I have to go into the office for a few hours, but if you want, you boys can come into town with me and help the vendors set up and prepare for the matsuri tonight! It will be fun for you all to get out of the house." She giggles, "Well, Sasuke and Naruto don't seem like the overly indoors type anyways, but it should be a nice change to visit a festival and forget about your mission duties for awhile."

Her easy laughter and smiles are so genuine.. I hope Naruto can find that within himself once more. I can usually get him to open up around me, but with other people he is still cautious and reserved.

 _'I hope this joyous woman can help you regain some of your lost personality. I want you to always be happy, Naruto.'_

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Mam, do you think the old lady is doing spicy dango again? I looove that stuff. Last year, I ate so much I ended up asleep before the fireworks! But I won't miss them this year," Souji's exited chatter went on for awhile until his dad came in with a bag full of water canteens and fruits for us to take to the festival tonight.

"Be safe and have fun today. I'm helping a family chop firewood this afteernoon, but I'll likely meet up with you before the festival starts." With a kiss for his wife and son, Hiroshi ushered us out the door and we began our separate journeys.

* * *

 **To Be Continued...**


	10. Only For You, Sasuke

**Naruto POV**

Souji must have introduced us to half the people in this village.

Each vendor and satisfied patient inquired about his mother in turn as we wandered between the stalls and crowds. What would've otherwise been a tiring expedition as we stepped softly behind our young guide, listening to the same small talk over and over, turned out rather peaceful. Every man and woman we encountered were as sincere as could be.

It's not often that I've seen a whole village know one of the kids and really care about them beyond whether they're being fed once a week.

The citizens of Getsuga Island have all been in an exceptional mood for the festival.

Myself and Sasuke included.

I've seen several small smiles from the youngest Uchiha today and they seem a far cry more relaxed and genuine than the intense front he usually puts up. It makes my heart happy since he usually doesn't like people... ' _He really needs to open up more.'_

(Oh, the _irony_.)

-"Whoa!" I exclaimed, the raven himself turning to pluck me up and out of the way of a passing carriage.

"I hadn't even noticed. Sorry, Sas," I said, scratching the back of my head sheepishly. Realizing Souji was walking towards his mom and both waiving us off to spend time together separately, I blushed, embarrassed of my behavior.

 _'Kami, where has my head been this morning?.. I guess I only have eyes for you these days, huh, Sasuke?'_

His lips curled up into a smirk as if I had spoken my confession aloud.

"Maa- You can look at me any time, _Naruto_. We are at a festival, let's try to enjoy this while we can, ne?" The glimmer of amusement in those depthless obsidian eyes betrayed his words.

Before I could be mesmerized once again, he took my hand and led me into the nearest shop.

"I'd really like to see you in one of these."

"Hm?"

I look up and take in the racks of Yukata, most of which vary in the brightness and patterns of their color. However some are more plain, just being a simple garment of solid black or grey.

My fingertips reach out to brush against the fabric of one grey and white yakata, never reaching their destination; my palm meeting Sasuke's warm chiseled chest instead. "Not this one, Dobe. Something less boring, choose one you actually _like_."

"Well maybe I liked that one, " I jut my chin forward and push him slightly away before reallly browsing through. "I mean, it's just a yukata. It doesn't really matter..."

 **Sasuke P.O.V.**

I sigh softly.

I miss how buoyant his personality once was. 'Where is that brash mouth and bubbly personality? _Naruto, come back to me.'_

"Sure it does," I pinched his asscheek.

"Ahh! Sasuke, you bastard. What was that for?"

 _'There you are.'_

I lean in closely over his shoulder and run my nose along the shell of his ear. "Of course it matters what it looks like, I'm gonna be watching your beautiful ass in it all evening and I need a little more pattern to distract me so I'm not solely thinking about stripping you down the entire time we're waiting for the hanabi to start."

With red ears and startled eyes he looks at me over his shoulder and stutters.

"O-uhh-kay..''

"What about this one?" I pull it down and hold it out for my boyfriend to look at.

Naruto wrinkles his nose cutely and eventually we decide on a thick navy blue yakata with small white flowers in circular patterns and neon blue leaves surrounding it all.

It really intensified the electric frisson of color in his eyes.

For me, he was dead set on a silk black yukata with red budding tree branches adorning it. It made me feel as if I was older in appearance and set my mind down paths involving Itachi.

I got to see him in a formal kimono once, for a distant cousins' wedding.

 _'I need to see my brother before everything is said and done. The years keep passing by; I just keep getting older and I'm missing out on the time I have left with Itachi. I can't let him die before things are resolved between us.'_

"Looking in the mirror today, I can't help but remember him as he was before th- before he left." I murmur lamely. Looking up from where I was kneeling and inspecting their selection of geta, I gave my boyfriend a small smile. "I hope he can be my brother again someday. I hate these broken bonds."

"Hey, I'm glad we fixed things between _us._ "

I grabbed for his hand, interlacing our fingers and pressing a kiss to each of his knuckles.

"... I love you, _Naruto_."

His whole face flushed a light pink and he covered it with his free hand.

"Sasuke, you shouldn't catch me off guard like that, baka!"

He smiled brilliantly at me then, hauling me up so that we could continue exploring the festival as we weaved through the crowd, watching as musicians and a parade with a symbolic dancing dragon passed through.

He leaned his warm body in closer to me and held tightly to my arm, laying his head on my shoulder.

I barely caught his confession on the end of a happy sigh.

"I love you, too," dances on the air as we pause and wait in line for dango.

 _This is what I live for. To see his Will of Fire. His passion and burning personality. Regrettably, I almost crushed him once and now I am staying to make sure I help him recover from it. From the villagers of the Hidden leaf treating him like crap growing up. From the stint where his most precious person abandoned him for a time._

 _My life mission is to make sure he never loses his burning desire to love other people and to help them better themselves. To help him trust people again and become a Hokage to do them all proud._

 **Naruto P.O.V.**

My heart thunders mercilessly, on a rampage of its own league; but my hands are steady.

 _'Kami, I am so happy Sasuke is doing this with me. He is the most talented and badass teammate and shinobi in all of Fire country... and he_ wants _me.'_

 _Me!_

There is an unspoken agreement between us to stop at every competitive stall and try our luck. I'm hoping I can overshadow his achievements with my own.

Sasuke's eyes narrow with determination as he prepares to win a goldfish with a flat paper net at the next stall.

I watch as his left forearm flexes, with his net poised an inch away from the water.

He holds his breath in.. steady..

 _Steady_.

He swallows thickly, his adam's apple bobbing under my fingers in response to the unexpected caress and I whisper in his ear for him to do his best.

Moving faster than I am expecting, his sharingan swirls to life and the net gently dips into the basin, swirling in a circular motion and gently- but swiftly enough to slice a throat before he could be stopped, he pulls the red tinted goldfish up and deposits it into a cup partly-filled with treated water and stamped with 'Kingyo Sukui'.

He bites his pretty bottom lip to hide the smirk I know is coming and grabs a lid with holes from the young woman who had collected our money earlier.

"Thank you ma'am, we will be going now," holding his prize out to me, "What will you name it?"

"Ehhhh?"

I looked at him in confusion.

"You name pets and summons, Sasuke. You don't name goldfish."

He looked at me from the corner of his eye like he was hiding a secret. "Oh, I don't know about that. I think we could give him a pretty cool name, surely there is _something_ that might fit."

He hmmed for about a minute and kicked a rock as we wandered between face painting stalls and stalls selling good luck charms.

"I think he's a perfect match for Usuratonkatchi."

My jaw dropped.

"Whaaaat!"

I pouted. "That's totally what you used to call me, you hellspawn. Don't you dare condemn him to a life of limitations!"

Sasuke snickered and poked my cheek as he eyed the cup in my hand, "Well, he _was_ the last to swim off and therefore got caught on that pathetic excuse of a net. It fits, ne?"

I turned my head sharply and bit down on the pad of his finger.

"Whatever. Hold your prize; because I'm about to remind you that this badass," I gestured to all of me, "isn't ' _dead-last_ ' anymore." Stepping up to a low table I paid for a game and received a bucket of rings by some lowlife with a too wide smile and greasy blue hair in a ponytail with bangs that stuck to his face in choppy segments more than they framed it.

The sign above read, "Announce the bottle you plan to peg before throwing the ring. Miss three shots and your luck is over. {Expert hands only; Must beat the shopkeepers highest score to win a prize. Today your goal is : **27 points**.}

There were multiple shelves and rows with colorful bottles at varying heights labled with different numbers on stating their worth. The bottle at the highest point of the range would double whatever score you had acquired previously, and if it went over the judge's score, you would win any prize available.

'Pfft, naturally this is going to be easy enough. I throw kunai for a living, how hard could a ring toss be? The targets don't even move!'

"This is gonna be easier than making ramen, " I muttered.

Looking over my shoulder at the stoic ravenette who made a point of giving me a once over and running a tongue across his parted lips, I rolled my eyes at him. He was not going to bust my concentration right now.

 _Tink!_

The first ring sailed smoothly onto the neck of a bottle hiding in the back of a cluster. It was labeled with a number six.

Clink. Clink. Clink. Six. Eight. Five.

Flicking my wrist one more time I released the last ring and closed my eyes. I didn't hear the ring connect, but listened instead to the sound of a bottle spinning on it's base as it prepared to settle down or fall.

"Congratulations, man! You're the first person to make the double points shot today! When someone attempts it, the bottle usually breaks and I just replace it. You must be a ninja or something," He clapped my back like we were old friends and steered me around, wrapping his fingers of his other clammy hand around my bicep in a suggestive manner to look at the array of stuffed animals, masks and small musical instruments hanging from the netting of his booth.

Feeling overly invaded, I politely pulled off and backed up a few steps. I don't know this guy from the next pervert and those digits were too forward in their search for skin.

My shoulders met with Sasuke's toned chest, his arm reaching around to my front, and he handed me our new pet. I looked up to witness his cold gaze focused on the vendor.

Growing concerned, since he looked like he was going to put the unsuspecting man in an Infinite Tsukuyomi or something equally torturous, I suppressed a shiver at the situation. I turned and pulled his face down to mine so that all his obsidian eyes could focus on was me.

Caressing his ear with my index and thumb, I pulled a bit. "It's fine. I'm all yours; today and always. Let's just pick something and find a spot for the fireworks, ne?"

He exhaled through his nose, pulling me forward by the waist and nape of my neck to lean against him and pressed his chin to the top of my head. I felt trimmed nails lightly drag against the skin under my shirt.

My heart skipped a beat at his actions, he just smelled so good that I felt like I couldn't possibly be close enough..

"Hn. Can you play a flute?" he asked.

The shop keeper was finally occupied with the next customer and refused to look at me or Sasuke as we grabbed a Shinobue and headed to the stand that sold Takoyaki and spicy dango, hoping to meet up with my family.

 **To be continued..xxx**


End file.
